


Praying for Love in a Lap Dance

by autumnblues



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1990s, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bromance to Romance, But it doesn't happen, Chicago (City), Domestic Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, It's Okay, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Violence, Strippers & Strip Clubs, erwin is a bad guy, it's precious really, levi is a cop, levi really loves eren, smut tags will be added later, the bert/eren is temporary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-11-02
Packaged: 2018-04-08 08:21:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4297506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autumnblues/pseuds/autumnblues
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren Jeager is twenty-one years old. After being kicked out of his family home for being gay, and dropping out of college, Eren was left homeless, hungry, and with minimal cash. He now lives in a third rate apartment with a barely functioning microwave, and makes his money stripping is a alley strip club, disguised as a smoking bar for gentlemen. The patrons are disgusting, but none as disgusting as the manager, Mr Smith; an incredibly violent and short tempered bastard with eyebrows as big as his biceps. </p><p>Levi is a tired, twenty-nine year old cop. He hasn't seen his family for years, and doesn't really care. Nor does he care for sex, or romance, or anything at all, really. But one night, after a bad week, he allows himself to be dragged along to Eren's strip club by his 'eccentric' best friend- Hange. What he finds is Eren- and Levi soon realises that he does care. A lot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning. Somewhat angsty. This is just a little intro, later chapters will be longer :)

I woke up stifling, as usual. The itchy, woollen sheet that I had stolen from a friend's dressing room in the club somehow retained more heat than the sun, but it was that, or hypothermia. The sun was barely visible through the thick grey clouds, and my apartment looked as bleak as ever. The walls, dull and grey, and full of holes. The floor creaked and moaned with every step taken. It was cramped, with one bedroom and one bathroom. Though, it barely counted as a bedroom. The mattress was thin and lay on a metal frame, which I felt every night through the mattress. Apart from that, there was one old dresser missing two of the knobs. It held my few clothes that I brought with me from home; four shirts, two pairs of jeans, and one pair of shoes, as well as underwear and one pair of pyjamas. 

It was small, and it was home. As the sky grew darker, I sat up in my bed, which creaked under my weight. The floor felt cold under my bare feet. I slipped out of my bedroom and padded to the bathroom, still sleep addled. Just like everything else in my apartment, the shower water was cold. But I waited a minute before getting in, willing it to warm up. My soap smelled cheap, but it left me feeling clean, which felt like heaven in my line of work. 

I haven't mentioned it yet, but I'm a stripper. Now, I didn't want to be a stripper, but it was my only option. My parents kicked me out after they caught me kissing a boy in my class, and discovered that I'm gay. I was forced to drop out of college, and move into this apartment in Chicago city. I wanted to study business, meet a man and settle down. He would have been my secret, my best friend in daylight, and my lover at night. I would have been happy. But that was ripped away from me, and I spent my nights dancing in old, drunk men's laps instead. The money was good, but I had to save most of it, and use the rest of it for food and rent. 

I was quick in the shower, only about five minutes. I pulled on the cleanest clothes I possessed, and soon enough, I was on my way to the club. I spent more time there than I did in my house, purely because it eliminated any chance of running into anyone I knew, andthe other guys were nice enough. They were the best part about the club. The nicest guys there was Marco. He often bought me breakfast because he knew my situation and had rich parents. He had short black hair, soft brown eyes and freckles. Too precious for this world. His boyfriend was a completely different story. Jean; my worst nightmare. He was irritating and a better stripper than me, which killed my competitive side. Jean tended to scoff and my worn clothes  and lack of money, but Marco told him off and told me that everything would work out if I kept saving and letting him buy me breakfast. I hoped he was right, he was the closest thing I had to a friend, now that Armin wasn't around. 

Erwin, or Mr Smith, was at the door as I arrived. He looked at angry and menacing as ever as he stared down at me. His eyebrows caused shadows on his face in the dark room.

"It's not time for your shift," he grunted. I could feel every inch of his six-foot-two form disapproving my existence. I was used to it.

"I know, sir, but I thought I'd organise my dressing room and help the other guys get ready for the day shift. I hope that's okay sir." He narrowed his eyes and sighed deeply at me. His breath smelled of smoke.

"Just don't get in my way." I took that as an order to disappear, so I walked past him with my head down, and practically ran for the dressing rooms. I saw Marco waiting in his room, fiddling with his glitters and humming to himself. He perked up when he saw me in his mirror.

"Eren! You're late, still want breakfast?" He flashed a grin at me, and I felt myself brighten, his happiness was contagious. 

"I bumped into Eyebrows, he really hates me." Marco simply smiled apologetically.

"He hates everyone in the beginning, he'll warm up to you eventually. You're new, you've only been here two months. And you stole Jean's blanket." I blushed awkwardly. When Jean had found out that I took the dog-tailed, woollen (and unused) blanket, it took twenty minutes of shouting and glares before Jean would calm down and let Marco explain that I needed it more than Jean did. And that Jean had stollen it from an ex, who's mother made it. Jean stole in as revenge, I stole it out of necessity. The whole situation was awkward for me, and Jean had disliked me ever since. 

"Anyway, breakfast?" I suggested, trying to change the subject. Marco, ever sensitive and kind, realised and nodded. Jean continued pouting, however. Eventually, Marco managed to drag him along to the shitty diner that was only a five minute walk from the club. The owner was a short, bald guy named Connie Springer who was overly eccentric and loud. To say he had a bit personality was putting it lightly, very lightly. His fiancée, Sasha, helped out in the diner. She was one of the few working women I knew, but she was well suited to it. She, like her fiancé, had a very big personality. She was loud, in your face, and always hungry. The two made a very funny, and sweet pair. Apparently, Marco, Jean and Connie had gone to high school together, and had remained friends, even six years later.

We ordered our usual, mine a black coffee with a plate of bacon, eggs, beans and pancakes with maple syrup. It was a mix of my favourite foods, and Connie only charged $5.75. Jean also got a black coffee, but his breakfast was a ham and cheese omelette. Marco didn't take coffee, instead he got orange juice and a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. In total, it cost $19.69 excluding tips.

We ate, mostly in silence apart from Jean's typical snide comments, and Sasha asking us how it tasted. We made it back to the club at 10a.m. I helped Marco and Jean get ready, as well as making small talk with some of the other strippers. When it was opening time, I retired to my dressing room to read my battered copy of copy of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe". It was a children's book, but I loved it.

Soon, the music in the club became loud, and the sounds of clinking glasses and laughing men filled the club. I knew that Reiner would have a break soon, based on the time. I fumbled with the corners of the pages, making the even more dog tailed. I tipped my head back on the back of my chair abs stared up at the pale blue ceiling. There were patches of yellow in random spots from people smoking inside, and the walls had cracks in them. The room wasn't very furnished. In total, there was a clock, the wooden chair I was occupying, a small table covered with my clothes for shows and some books, a tired, dark green two-person couch with a significant dip in the middle, and a coat hanger by the door. The main downer was the heat, I was naturally a very warm person, and I easily got too hot. The heat in the club was suffocating. It made my skin itch and beads of sweat gather on my skin.

I heard the door the dressing room area open, and the music got momentarily louder. The door slammed shut, and a loud grunt was the next noise I heard. I stepped out into the open, empty corridor and found Reiner leaning against the door. He was pulling off his black heels when he looked up and nodded at me.

Reiner was six-foot-nothing, buff and broad all over. His hair was blonde and cut short, and his honey-brown eyes were narrow. The almost permanent scowl he wore was occasionally replaced with a wide smile, but more commonly, a sly smirk.

"Hey, Reiner. How'd it go?" He blinked slowly and scratched the back of his neck.

"Hi, Jaeger. Could have been worse. They're less hands-y when they're drunk." He started walking towards his dressing room, and he signalled me to follow him.

Reiner's room was identical to mine, right down to the heat. I stood against the door as Reiner sat down and brushed his hair.

"Hey, could you pass me that shirt?" He asked, looking in the mirror at a white, creased shirt resting on the couch. I nodded and reached over, feeling the material of the couch brush off my stomach. Reiner nodded in gratitude and began to wipe off the sweat and makeup from his face with a baby wipe.

"I have a second job," he wasn't looking at me as he spoke, but I raised my brow in acknowledgment anyway, "it's in a café, near that video store, you know, the one with the donuts. Anyway, it starts in forty-five minutes." Reiner continued talking as I slouched on his couch, closing my eyes and wishing the heat away. My skin felt hotter than usual, and my clothes felt too tight.

"I know the one. Never been though," I told Reiner, stretching my arms across the back of the couch. I could feel the tension in every muscle of my body. I was exhausted.

"Drop by sometime. I'm gonna go, but take a nap. You look like you could use it." I peeked an eye open at him as he walked out and restrained the urge to say 'asshole, are you saying I look like shit?'

But Reiner was right, and soon after he left, I retired to my own room to nap.

My dreams were full of Dominic. I left him when I left home, and two months later, the sting whenever I thought of him remained. He was beautiful in every way. His honey coloured skin always smelled of lemons, eyes a beautiful forest green. His silky dark brown and sandy-blonde hair reached his chin, a perfect length to pull on. His lips were forever pink and plump. Dom's laugh made my heart feel lighter, we'd never gone the full way, but I still remembered the feel of his hands all over my body. He was everything I wanted in a man, funny, caring, intelligent, and romantic.

In my dreams, I remembered our first kiss, on a rainy day after a marketing class. It was in an empty corridor, it was messy and our teeth clinked, but it was perfect. He cupped my cheek and held my waist and confessed his love for me. I remembered our first time eating dinner at my parents house, when they visited my grandparents with Mikasa. I lit all my mom's candles and we drank my dad's wine. After, we bathed together and cuddled with at least a dozen blankets on the floor all night. And right before I woke up, I remembered my parents walking in on us. We were in my room, unaware that my parents had arrived home. Dom was busy picking through my clothes, helping me pick out what to wear to a party that night. He said that I left all my good clothes at home once I moved into the dorms. We were laughing about something stupid, and suddenly he was crawling on top of me, hands on my chest, lips on mine. And then it happened, I heard glasses smash and my mother scream. Dominic pulled back so fast, he almost got whiplash.

"Dominic, Eren, what the hell is this?!" She screamed, Dominic hurled himself off the bed and looked at me with panic in his beautiful eyes.

"Mom, please, calm down. I can explain. Just let Dom leave, and I'll explain everything to you, please." I looked at Dom, and nodded towards the door. He began slowly walking, and then raced out the door and down the stairs. As soon as we heard the door slam, my mother was at my bed, glaring down at me.

"What did I just see? Eren, why were you kissing that boy? What's going on?" I began hyperventilating, and we went on like that for a few minutes. But finally, I just screamed it at her. _'I'm gay!'_ And then there was uproar.

She screamed, and my dad shouted. He even went as far as to slap me, _hard._ And the next thing I know, I'm crying and packing a bag, and Mikasa is trying to convince my parents to calm down, which obviously didn't work. I didn't even get to see Dom before I hopped on a bus and drove to the city. He tried to talk to me when I was handing back my dorm keys and officially dropping out of school, as well as when I was giving my books into the second hand book store, but I just ignored him. It was too hard to see him, to look at him.

I jerked awake, sweating and panting. I looked at the clock and saw that there was only an hour and a half before I went on. I had no idea how I managed to sleep so long, but I pushed the thought aside as I stood up, wiping the sleep from my eye. I stretched, and wiped the sweat from my forehead before sitting down to start getting ready. 

_Another night in hell._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, I can't promise that I'll update often, but I'll sure as hell try!


	2. Meet Levi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Levi, and Levi meets Eren, and shit goes down. 
> 
> Honestly I have no idea how to use this fucking website so excuse me if things get weird and confusing??? And um, if you're going to comment, please either make it like, friendly (?), or make it constructive if you have a problem. It's just unnecessary to be mean/rude etc, and this is my first fanfic do duh it's not going to be amazing, but at least I'm trying.
> 
> rly sorry for bitching when i should be thinking the nice people who commented and gave kudos and really just read this piece of shit, you're such nice people!!! thank you!!!!
> 
> FINAL THING! THIS ONE MATTERS  
> this chapter is in Levi's point of view. I won't switch PoV often, but this is one of the times that I felt it most appropriate to. Sorry if you hate that.

It was Tuesday. Or at least I thought it was Tuesday, but there was a fairly good chance that it was Wednesday. 

Shit, if it was Wednesday, I had to get to work. 

But maybe it was Tuesday, and maybe I could stay in bed for a little while.

Who the _fuck_ was I kidding, knowing my goddamn luck, it was probably Friday and there was probably a mob outside my fucking door.

It was definitely Wednesday, I decided.

I rolled over in my bed and checked the time, 6:46a.m, time to get up. I waited one more minute, basking in the heat provided by my soft duvet. I was always too cold, no matter where I was or what I wore, I could never keep warm. People often flinched when I touched them because I was so fucking cold. Then again, I rarely touched people, so it didn't really matter. 

I sighed at myself, I was wasting time thinking about random stuff like my body temperature. I couldn't really see outside, with the cream curtains closed, but based on the lack of sunshine peeking through the curtains, I presumed it was another dreary day in big ol' Chicago. 

Ew, did I just say _big ol_ '? 

Oh my god, Levi, get the fuck out of bed. 

With another sigh, I pulled back the duvet, currently donned in a plain, pale blue cover, gifted to me by my mother last Christmas. The floor was cold, I soon discovered. Nothing new there. Thankfully, I had a pair of black slippers by my bedside (yes, slippers. No, I'm not ninety), which I slipped on. 

By the time I managed to _actually_ get out of bed and leave my bedroom, it was 6:54a.m, and if I didn't shower within the next five minutes, I was going to be late. It situations like this, some may neglect to shower in favour of timekeeping, but oh no, if I didn't shower, I would spend the entire day feeling unclean and itchy, and just horrible. That was not an option, not today, not tomorrow. Never.

I wasn't in the shower long enough for it to get hot, but at least I felt clean. I changed into my uniform once I was out of the shower, it smelled like detergent, and felt stiff and starchy. But it was a little bit warmer than ordinary clothes. My breakfast was small, a bowl of cereal, and black coffee. It was now 7:10a.m, I would make it on time, as always. 

My journey to work was short, I drove a Ford Crown Victoria, and it took ten minutes with moderate traffic to get to work. That day, it took eight. It was now 7:20a.m, I was ten minutes early. Making coffee in the station's kitchen, I decided, would be a good way to spend those ten minutes, and I could be comfortably seated at my desk by 7:30a.m. So that's what I did, and at exactly 7:34a.m, Hange- aka Shitty Four Eyes came bursting into the station, she was loud and obnoxious as always.

"Levi!" She screamed, bounding towards me, her hair a complete mess and her uniform buttoned incorrectly.

"What do you want, Shit Face?" She giggled, and proceeded to lean over the desk to aggressively wrap her arms around my neck. I could feel her glasses frames poke my collarbones. I was too early to be this annoyed, it was too early for Hange, it was too early to deal with whatever news she was about to deliver.

"Pixis wants you to patrol the dangerous, crime plagued streets of Chicago today, so off you go. Shoo, shoo" I groaned loudly and tipped my head back onto the edge of my chair, before pushing my chair back from my desk and standing.

"Right, fine. Any particular reason?" I asked, stretching. I wasn't sure why I bothered asking, I never got a straight answer out of Hange when I asked her anything. 

"There have been a few robberies in a convenience store recently. He just wants you to keep watch. How exciting." She sang, and then she hopped off of my desk and disappeared. 

Great, I had to walk around all day and do literally nothing. That's _exactly_ what I'm paid to do. I groaned once more, and left the station. Driving back to my apartment would have been a good idea. I could leave my car there, and patrol near this damned convenience store.

Wait, Hange never told me what it was called. Great, I'd have to find Pixis and ask him. He would have been here, he always came in ridiculously early. I strolled towards his desk, peeking behind the fake plastic walls. Indeed, he was there, seated comfortably at his desk, filing through some papers. 

Pixis was tall, and slim but toned. He was as bald as bald could be, but the moustache above his upper lip was huge. It was a very stereotypical moustache, and made him look older than he actually was. That, and the wrinkles on his forehead and beside his eyes, which were only highlighted when he smiled, which was a lot. 

"Ah, Pixis, what's the name of this convenience store you want me to watch?" He turned his chair around, and looked up it me. It was one of the few times he looked up at me, considering how he towered over usually. 

"Levi, good morning." His voice was gravely, as always. "It's called _Riley's_ , it's near the park. Just make sure there's no trouble. Teens nowadays, huh?" He smiled one last time before turning back around and continuing his work. I took that as my signal to leave, so I turned on my heel, and left. 

The cold air bit at my skin through my uniform, making me shiver as I walked towards my car. I could feel my eyes water, and I regretted not taking a jacket with me that morning. A couple more guys pulled into the carpark and I reached my car, they shouted a greeting at me, and I gave them a nod and a stiff wave. I heard them shut the door into the station just as I unlocked my car.

Kids were robbing _Riley's_? They must have been running out of creative ways to look cool in front of their friends. I sighed as I climbed back into my car, and took off down the street. My apartment was only a two minute walk from _Riley's_ , I often bought cup noodles from there because fucking _hell_ , I couldn't cook for shit. Taking a deep breath, I pulled the hand break, and headed towards _Riley's_. I decided to get a coffee and walk around for a bit, see if anything happened. And if not, I was going to kick Pixis in the nuts, hard. 

My coffee cost $1.15, which sucked because it tasted like shit. The best part was that the cup warmed my hands as I walked the empty streets. Most stores were still closed, but by 10a.m, everywhere was open, and the sun had begun to shine through the clouds, and more people came spilling into the park. And by fuck, if any of them were drunk, I was so not bothered dealing with their sorry asses. 

Cop of the Year right here. 

It was when I heard someone laugh and shout, " _Hey! Look! It's a really short cop. Don't they have to be a certain height?_ " that I started to get annoyed. I turned in the direction from which the comment came and found my worst nightmare. A bunch of teenagers, with schoolbags walking towards a park bench. I groaned and ran my hand through my hair before following them. They hadn't noticed me yet, which was good. However, when I was fairly close, I heard one of them whisper _'shit'_. Yeah, you're fucking right to be afraid. 

"Problem, kid? I heard you making comments about my height." The worst part was that I was staring up at them. _Fuck my fucking height._ The boy still cowered though, because even though I was short, I was pretty damn scary when I wanted. 

"Eh- um- I- No officer. Um, there- there's no problem over here." His eyes flicked from side to side, as if he was begging one of his friends to come to his rescue. 

"What's wrong, can't get a sentence out? I know you don't have a stutter, loudmouth. Shouldn't you be at school? What school do you go to?" His eyes widened in panic, and looked towards his friends again. This time, a big red haired guy spoke. 

"We go to Sina High, officer. We have an appointment though, that's why we're not in school." I knew he was lying, he wouldn't look be in the eye and he was sweating. 

"Well, if that's true, you won't mind me getting someone at the station to call the school and double check?" The read haired kid just swallowed, no one said anything, so I took that as a chance to continue. "I know you're lying, and that pisses me off, but because I actually have something to do, I'm gonna let you off easy. Get your asses back to school, _now_ , and we won't have a problem. Alright? Scram." They took off so fast, I couldn't even shout something explicit at them. Teens pissed me the fuck off, was it so hard to just stay in school for a few hours? Jesus. Grumbling, I turned and walked towards a empty bench which was close to _Riley's_.

There didn't seem to be a problem, and the place seemed pretty empty. 

It was a fairy small store, and it only had four short isles, one freezer, one fridge, and a tiny deli with pretty funky looking meat. I couldn't figure out why people would steal from it, and what they got from it. I sank lower on the bench and stared forward, watching people go by. They probably thought I was a freak, a cop slouching on a park bench, looking at a convenience store? Yeah, weird. I stayed like hat for another little, until I saw someone who looked pretty cautious walking towards _Riley's_. I sat up, placing my elbow on my knees, steel eyes narrowed and alert. The girl, blue hair, milky white skin, probably around 16, and wearing a black pair of leather shorts and a Guns n Roses muscle t-shirt walked into the store. She didn't do anything for a minute, except look around as if she was an animal being hunted, but then I saw her pull out a wallet and begin counting change. As she was counting change, a fairly ragged guy entered the shop. He must have only been in his early twenties, and I didn't like the luck of him. 

I decided that going up to him wouldn't be the worst idea, so I lifted myself off of the bench with a throaty 'huhk'. The man had entered the store by the time I reached the entrance. I walked after him, hands in my pockets, and stopped right behind him as he was picking up some bread. 

"Hey, can we talk for a second?" He turned around, looking a bit frightened. I sucked in a deep breath when our eyes met. Holy shit, he was gorgeous. His eyes were sea green, wild and panicked. He had a mop of messy brown hair, neither short nor long. Perfectly tanned skin stretched across a toned body, he was tall too. Probably a head taller than I was. He was slim, as well. The only problem was his clothes. They were creased, and clearly not the cleanest. Obviously the kids wasn't doing great. He cleared his throat suddenly, and I was brought back to the real world. 

"Um, yeah, yeah, sure." He muttered. His voice was gorgeous too, silky and deep and warm. "What can I help you with?" 

"There have been a few robberies in here recently, and I just want to make sure that you intend on _paying_ -" 

"What?! Oh my god, this is because of how I'm dressed, isn't it? I would never steal, promise. My family kicked me out- it's a load of drama-" 

"Hey, kid, calm down. Just tell me your name, and your age. Then pay for your stuff, and I'll leave you alone." He eyes were slightly teary, but he took a deep breathe and answered me. 

"I'm Eren Jaeger, 21. I'm only here to buy some bread, cereal and milk. I swear." I was about to respond, when the cashier let out a shout. 

"Hey, you! Get back here, you didn't pay for your stuff!" He shouted. 

"I've got it!" I yelled as I ran out of the store, chasing the blue haired girl. She ran down the street, looking back at me every so often to make sure I was still behind her. I sped up as she turned a corner, loving the feel of the wind rushing past me, and beads of sweat beginning to form on my skin. I chased the girl for a solid five minutes, down streets and around corners, pushing many a civilian out of the way- until she finally fell after colliding with a middle aged man, who disappeared as soon as he saw me approach. I leaned over the girl and pulled her up by the arm. 

"Come on. You're coming with me." I told her, gripping her arm. 

By the time we reached my car, she was crying. I didn't say anything to her, and she remained silent apart from the occasional sniff. She didn't protest as she got into my car, and she remained silent the entire way to the police station. She had stopped crying, as well. Once we arrived, I slid out of the car and opened the door to the back. 

"Come on, inside, I'll take you to one of my colleagues, who will call your guardian. Then, they'll come down here and pay a bail. Okay?" she didn't say anything, and I didn't expect her too. Though the silence was beginning to piss me off, the only females I ever hung around were loud and annoying (Hange). I smirked to myself, imagining Hange sitting quietly in the back of my car, instead of doing the usual, _'Levi slow the fuck down, you're a cop, you can't break the fucking limit! Oh my god, we just passed a waffle place. Turn around, turn around!'_.

I brought the girl inside and left her with Hange and Pixis- which was possibly worse than any punishment her parents would administer. It was still early, only roughly 11a.m, but no one would really care if I took my lunch early. So for the second time that day, I slid into my car and drove back towards my apartment. It was still sunny, miraculously. I turned on the radio to hear _Purple Rain_ playing. It was one of my favourite songs, so I turned it up to nearly full volume. I let down my window as well, and put my left arm out. I did that a lot, whenever I wasn't overly pissed off at something (which was rare), or whenever it wasn't fucking freezing (again, rare). 

As I drove, I thought about Eren. The kid was hot as hell, like _'I'd really like to fuck you, purely because you're one of the most gorgeous people I'be ever met and I'm eager to here what it sounds like when you moan and scream because your voice gets me going'_ sort of hot. It was weird for me to be so attracted to somone, especially since I hadn't gotten any in forever. I stopped sleeping around when I hit twenty-four, because it was too much effort, and I just stopped _caring_. But that Eren kid, I'd gladly bone him. 

My next thought was lunch. There were a few diners and cafés in the area, all of which I had visited numerous times. _Connies_ was pretty good and cheap, and there was a possibility that they were still serving breakfast. It was fast nearing 11:30a.m, so I decided it best to drive straight to _Connies_. 

I often daydreamed while driving, looking aimlessly out the window at the passersby. Most of the people walking on the pavement were either grunge-y teenagers, or pretty normal adults. The people passed by in a blur, but when I was in traffic, I got a real chance to observe, like I was doing at that very moment. I didn't recognise most of the people walking- or cycling, but then I saw a shirt that I knew. Snapping out of my daydream, I craned my neck to look out my window. I was right, I has seen that shirt already today. It was Eren, walking by as I was driving to get breakfast. 

"Eren!" I shouted out the window, traffic unmoving. His head whips around, and his eyes widen when he sees me. "Come here!" I can see that he's confused, but he gingerly walks over to my car anyway. 

"What can I help you with officer?" He asks timidly. I smirk at his shyness, at he starts to blush ever so slightly. The lightest dusting of pink across his cheeks. I didn't have complete control over what I said next but it worked out pretty well in the end. 

"I'm going for lunch. Hop in." Eren looked bewildered at that. I almost laughed at his expression, but I wasn't the laughing type. 

"I really couldn't, thank you for the-" 

"Get in the car, Eren, you could use a decent lunch. Let it be my apology for this morning." I could see him warring with himself. His eyes were creepily expressive, like some sixth sense shit. He didn't argue this time, instead just walked across to the passenger side of the car, climbing in silently. 

"So, where d'you wanna go? I was going to go to _Connies_ , but I'm not to pushed." I looked over at him, seeing a smirk in his eyes instead of on his lips. "What's so funny?" I asked, looking at him properly. 

"Nothing, it's just that I usually go there for breakfast with some friends. Sounds good." I nodded, and eventually the traffic got moving. 

"Do you have black shades?" Eren randomly asked as we neared _Connies_. I looked over at him confused, but I nodded anyway. 

"Yeah, why?" He burst out laughing at that. "What?" I asked, confused. 

"That's so typical of a cop. Put them on." I smirked at this sudden change of attitude, but reached down to the pocket by the steering wheel where I kept the black sunglasses and put them on anyway. 

"Happy?" I asked him. He was, I could tell by his sudden gasp, and the return of that slight blush. 

_'Oh yeah'_ I thought, _'I'd gladly bone him'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woop, second chapter!!
> 
> To be perfectly honest, I only have a really, really bare outline of the plot in my head, and that could change a lot bc I find I get bored easily. But stick with me, please. In the end, it'll work out and be readable. Promise.
> 
> I have random paragraphs from later chapters written because they sounded pretty in my head. But I don't have chapter 3 written yet. Sorry
> 
> reallly
> 
> really
> 
> sorry
> 
> (i talk when I get nervous I'm sorry)


	3. The Lunch Incident and the Accidental Second Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the two eat lunch, Eren gets rejected, and Levi bumps into Eren once more- this time in a very unexpected location.
> 
> I was on holidays where I had no wifi, so I couldn't upload, and I'm really sorry for that, but thank you for all the kudos on the last chapter!! 
> 
> Credit to Hange for being an accidental match maker.

I had officially had the weirdest day. First, an extremely hot police officer accused me of stealing from a convenience store when I was buying bread, then I bumped into one of the regulars at the club who wanted to take me out for coffee, then, as I was trying to run away from him, the extremely hot police officers returns and tells me that he’s buying me lunch. Weird.

So there I was, in a police car on my way to lunch with a beautiful police officer. And I mean beautiful. He was short, about a head shorter than me, with milky white skin and jet black undercut hairstyle. He wasn’t what you’d call buff, but he obviously worked out, as his muscles were clear in defined in his navy police uniform, and his steel eyes always had a look of concentration in them. 

Roughly two minutes from _Connie’s,_ I broke the silence with a soft and simple ‘hey'. Levi responded by silently turning towards me. 

“Yeah?” He said, but was more of a question. He was now wearing black sunglasses because I thought it would be really cliché if he had a pair, being a police officer, and he did. 

“You never told me your name.” I was shy about saying, as if I felt bad that I didn’t telepathically learn his name. He let out a small laugh at that-or at least I think it was a laugh. It sounded like a slight grunt coupled with a content sigh. 

“It’s Levi. Or Officer Ackerman in you feel like being kinky.” Levi looked over at me, and in that moment, he looked _so damn good_ wearing those shades, smirking at me. He had one hand on the wheel, the other was out the car window. He looked really good driving, I decided. 

Once we reached _Connie’s_ , the sun began to fade as clouds took its place in the sky. Levi and I walked in silently and Levi led me to a table at the end of the diner, away from the other customers. I couldn’t see Connie himself, so I figured he was in the kitchen with Sasha. I was right, a minute later he came out to the counter. A grin erupted on his face when he saw me. 

“Mr Jaeger, the best customer-yet he never pays!” I laughed at Connie, and waved him over to the table. With him, he brought two menus and a jug of water. 

“It’s weird to see you in here without Marco and Jean, with a cop! Don’t let Eyebrows find out.” He whispered the last part, winking at me. “Not working today, hey? Anyway, gentlemen, we’re still serving breakfast, but feel free to get whatever you want off the menu. Oh, I never caught your name Officer…” 

  “Ackerman.” Levi replied curtly. Connie got the message that he wasn't wanted, so he walked back to the counter as Levi picked up his menu. 

“You come in here a lot?” He asked, looking over the menu at me with curious steel eyes. 

“Oh, yeah. I come here with two of my friends from work. They buy me breakfast because, well because Marco’s a nice guy and Jean is his over protective boyfriend. Connie knows the two of them from high school.” I said, praying that Levi wouldn’t ask me what I worked as. The club was completely illegal, if cops found out, I’d be out of the job and found dead in my apartment, cause of death: Angry Eyebrow Man. Of course, I wasn’t that lucky. 

“What do you work as?” Levi asked casually, though I could tell that he was actually trying to suss me out. I panicked for a second, but I took a quick breathe and looked up at Levi, smiling. 

"Oh, it's nothing really. Just in a quiet bar a little outside of town. You wouldn't know it." I felt butterflies in my stomach as soon as I said it, he knew I was lying, but he didn't push it. Connie came back to our table a few minutes later and took our orders. Levi ordered breakfast-bacon and waffles, and I got a grilled cheese sandwich with fries and soda. I let myself daydream as Connie returned to the kitchens to give Sasha our orders. In the back of my mind, I heard her boisterous laugh and the clinking of cups and plates around us in the diner, but those things didn't really bother me as I wondered about my current situation. Levi was a police officer, and I was a stripper. We were currently eating together because Levi wanted to apologise for what happened this morning. I knew that this wasn't anything serious, but I felt a longing in my for something more. 

Wait? Was I saying that I wanted, like, a relationship? I was still completely heartbroken over Dom. There was no denying that. But maybe I just felt lonely, and wanted someone around. Or maybe I was just mistaking my physical attraction for Levi a bit top far. I tried not to dwell on such thoughts, but I didn't really need to try, as the next thing I heard was Levi calling my name. 

"Eren, oi, Eren. You brat, would you listen?" I looked up, blinking back into the real world, to see Levi looking at me, his brow creased. 

"Oh, sorry Levi. I was daydreaming. What's up?" I asked, faking some of my optimism. 

"I was asking you where you live, so I can drop you off when we're finished." He said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. For a very slight second, I thought I saw concern flash in his eyes, but it was gone as soon as I saw it. 

"Uh, I live in the apartment block near the park. Trost Apartments." Levi's expression very clearly showed what he thought of my address. Trost Apartments were known for being shit, and for being cheap. Both of which were true. He quickly regained his composure as soon as he realised he was making a face. 

"Okay. I have to get back to work after, that's all. You not working today?" He asked curiously. My heart began to beat a little faster, but I remained cool. 

"Well, I work at night. But yeah, I am working tonight.” Our food arrived before Levi had a chance to respond. We chatted a bit more, and I learned things like his age; twenty-nine, and that he had a friend who’s name was Hange, and that she was way more fun than him. He also told me that he has no siblings and that he’s single. My heart jumped a bit at that, but I forced myself to calm down. I also told him about me, how I have one adopted sister; Mikasa, and that my parents forced me to drop out of college, and hence move out of my dorms when they found out my sexuality. He didn’t ask for more information than that, so I didn’t say more. 

”I’m gay too.” Levi said, when we were both nearly finished eating. I choked on my overly full mouth of fries, but managed to survive after many mouthfuls of water and soothing pats on the back from Levi. 

”Sorry, sorry. You surprised me is all. Uh, I didn’t expect that.” Levi did the grunt-sigh-maybe-a-laugh thing again and took another bite of his food. 

”What? Because I don’t wear panties and I haven’t tried to hump your leg yet?” I could tell he was kidding, but he hit dangerously close to home. My job was wearing panties and humping peoples’ legs. We continued to make small talk until we finished. Levi paid for our meals and we left, it was all sort of anti-climatic. 

On the journey home, I reflected on my feelings for Levi, or lack thereof. I was simply physically attracted to him, and lonely after a rough break up with someone who I truly loved. I sighed a sigh or relief, or a high of regret. I wasn’t really sure. 

”Everything all right over there?” Levi asked as he drove. He only glanced at me before looking back at the road. 

”What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just thinking. Sorry.” Levi eyed me curiously, but didn’t push it. 

”I’m glad you’re not driving anyway.” Levi joked, with a smirk. I gave a short laugh, trying subtly to take a glance at Levi. He was curious, to say the least. 

Too soon, we arrived at my apartment block. Levi stopped right outside the front door, and my stomach felt weird when he looked at me, eyes soft. 

”Well, kid. It was nice to meet you. Anyone ever accuses you of stealing again, just let me know, okay?” He was joking, again, but I let myself believe that he meant it. 

”So, is that it?” I asked I regretted it the second I said it. For a moment, there was silence, a deafening silence. The type that makes you feel an insane pressure all around you, the air gets thick and there’s a ringing in your ears. 

”I’m,” Levi replied, and the paused, “I’m not sure I know what you mean.” He finished carefully. He was looking at me now, eyes hard and concentrated. They went from steel to a glittering silver. It was enchanting. 

”I’m not sure what I mean either. Forget I said anything. Thanks for the food, Levi. See you around.” I unbuckled my belt and went to climb out of the car, but suddenly Levi was gripping my wrist, pulling me back into the car and forcing me to hit my head off of the roof. 

”Ow, ugh.” I sighed, rubbing my head. Levi said nothing. “Look, Levi. I meant nothing by it. It’s just, well, you seemed to be sort of flirting with me, and you took me out to lunch, and I just misinterpreted that a bit. It’s because of personal stuff, seriously.” Levi looked perplexed at that, but sighed and ran his hand through his hair once he caught onto what I was saying. 

”Sorry, kid, if I led you on or whatever. I get that what I did sort of implied that I was interested, but I’m not, not in that way. I’m not an idiot, anyone can see that you're gorgeous, but I was just in a good mood, and I saw you and thought, _‘hey, I’ll take him out to lunch!’_ I’m sorry if you got hurt because of it.” There was silence for a minute, Levi was still holding on to my wrist. I pulled it away and looked down, hiding my face. 

”Forget it, Levi. Forget I said anything. Honestly.” I went to climb out of the car, and as I was closing the door, I heard Levi say one more thing. 

” _It’s nothing personal, Eren. I just don't date_.” The door was already closed before I could respond, and Levi was speeding down the road 

”Bastard.” I muttered as I walked into my apartment building. 

~*~ 

That Friday, I was still feeling slightly melancholic about Levi. I had told Marco, but made him promise to not to Jean. When I told him, his eyes went soft, and he smiled a sympathetic smile. His only comment was, _’Oh Eren, don't worry. You’ll find someone, you will.’_ While our chat had made me feel better, the sting of rejection was still present whenever I thought about Levi. 

Nevertheless, I thought, life must go on. The club was busy that night. Even from my dressing room, I could hear the music pounding, the men laughing at hollering at the dancers, and the clinking of glasses. I groaned when I heard my name on the intercom, signalling that it was my turn to go on stage. I walked slowly, but steadily in a pair of glitter heels that belonged to Bert. He had given me a loan of them that day. I pushed the heavy stage door open and strut out. Instantly, I pulled my biggest, fakes smile, standing with one hand on my hip, the other in the air. The men screamed. I was known for being the bashful one, so I slowly walked onstage, laughing and blushing and waving at the men. There was more screaming and catcalling once I reached the pole. I did the usual, twirling and dropping around the pole. Everything was going fine, money was being thrown at me, and I managed to make my way off stage, now dancing around tables and dropping into mens laps. I saw a woman in the back, which was a first. She had messy brown hair, tied back in a ponytail, and was wearing a plain black t-shirt with jeans. She was with someone, but they were blocked by the man at the table in front. I strut my way over, stopping at random tables on the way. It was when I heard the lady speak that my heart dropped. 

“Levi! Look, he’s coming over!!” No. No, no, no, no. Surely not. That couldn't be. Nope, not happening. 

“Woohoo!! Come over here, you cutie patootie!” She screamed, something told me to stay. Probably the rational part of my being, but something bigger, and less intelligent screamed at me to see if it was really him. So I walked over, winking at the woman. 

“How can I be of service?” I asked, glittering my eyelashes. 

“My friend over here thinks your hot-“  

“Hange!” A very familiar voice barked. I whipped my head to the side, and nearly dropped dead when I saw Levi. My Levi, _It’s nothing personal, Eren. I just don't date_ Levi. I suddenly remembered where I was, and my smile reappeared. 

“Well, that’s very sweet of you officer. Thanks again for lunch, you're a sweetheart.” I could tell that he was left speechless at that. I took a step closer to him, and leaned down, picking up his beer and taking a sip, staring into his eyes the entire time. “What can I do for you?” I asked, stepping even closer so that I was in between his legs. He locked eyes with mine, and his hand reached out slowly, caressing my upper thigh. I shivered at the action, he wasn't violent, he didn't grope me drunkenly. It was intimate, sensual, erotic. His hand remained on my thigh, and then he raised it, gliding it ever so lightly up my side and across my chest. I gasped, and his breath hitched. I fell into his lap, straddling his thighs, and began dancing. Instantly, the catcalls started again, I rotated my hips, throwing my hands in the air, I smirked down at Levi, whose face was unreadable. He smelled amazing, like leather and lemon soap and second hand cigarette smoke. It was intoxicating. I continued to rotate and thrust my hips towards Levi, running my hands up and down his chest. All too soon, the song was over, and Levi was fishing a twenty out of his wallet, as was Hange. 

I took the notes and tucked them into my shorts, thanked them, and walked away, feeling that sting of rejection all over again. I was blank for the rest of the night, not even sure of what I was doing, I felt a hollowness inside my chest, and my thoughts were full of Dom. Marco asked me if I was okay, but I didn’t bother telling him. I just walked back to my changing room and got ready to go home. The air was cold, but even the relief of it didn't lift my mood. 

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep that night. 

~*~   

I felt like shit all day Saturday, and when Marco asked me once more if I was all right, I confessed to everything. 

”Oh, you poor thing. Listen, Eren, this guy is an asshole. If he comes back in here tonight, or any other night, taunt him. Do what you did last night, make him hurt like he hurt you.” Marco told me. My eyes widened, I expected something more _tame_ from Marco, but that advice worked fine with me too. 

”You’re spending too much time with Jean.” Marco simply smirked, winked at walked towards his boyfriends room. I sighed, ran a hand through my hair, and got ready. It didn't take me long to pull on my skimpy outfit of incredibly tight hot pants, and heels. There was also the makeup and hair. But those never took me long, I simply applied some eyeliner, blush, and lipgloss, and put a little glitter in my hair and down my chest. I straightened my room a bit, and decided that I was ready. Just as I was leaving to wait by stage door, Erwin knocked on my open door. 

”Eren, may I have a word?” My eyes widened, and I quickly fixed my hair before standing. 

”Of course sir, is everything okay?” He stepped inside and sat down on the sofa in the room. His expression was like stone, great. 

”Quite, Eren. I just wanted to say that your show last night was very good, that’s the sort of thing we’re looking for around here. Keep it up.” Before I could thank him, he was gone. Wonderful, the shows that left me feeling like shit were the good ones. Perfect. _Per-fect!_

I went on stage as my name was called. The first thing I did was search the crowd, looking for a particular pair steel eyes, and smooth fair skin. I saw him there, alone this time, wearing a tight white v-neck and some blue jeans. My breath left me is one gasp when I saw him rake his eyes up and down my body. I let the lust I felt show in my eyes, on my face, and in my actions. I pulled all the stops, sitting on peoples laps', dropping down on my knees in front of their crotchs'. I let them grab me, danced around them, did everything. When I got to Levi, who was suitably aroused, all I did was lean down and sniff behind his ear before planting a soft kiss on his cheek. His hand was caressing my chest, and I felt it slowly sink down towards my shorts, he ran his fingertips across my hipbones. I shivered, leaning closer to him, breathing heavily in his ear. His skin was soft, his touch feather light. Levi's hand san lower, and then it was gone. I stood back and looked into his eyes. He was conflicted, I smirked and bounced away from him, making sure to shake my ass in his face. Soon he was behind me, and my arm was around another man, lip syncing with some trashy song I couldn't remember the name of. 

A picture of Dominic appeared in my mind's eye. What would he think of me? What would he say if he found out about my job? If he found out about Levi? I sighed, my heart heavy in my chest. 

I knew the answers to my questions, I just wouldn't admit it to myself.

As I was walking back to my room, I peeked over at Levi and saw talking to Erwin, looking over at me. I eyed him curiously for a minute, and continued back stage. Soon after I closed the door, I heard it open and close again, Erwin appeared beside me. 

"That man with the black hair, Levi, has paid for an hour. Don't change." I nodded, watching the tall blond walk away. I was tempted to shout after Erwin and tell him to shove his money up his ass, but I held it in and walked to my room. What did Levi want? To talk? Or was he just another sleazeball looking to get laid? I battled with my thoughts as I straightened the room up a bit, folding clothes and neatening the table. It was insufferably hot, and my nerves didn't help. What felt like an eternity, but was probably only two minutes later, there was a gentle knock on the open door. I whipped around to see Levi standing there, with a very small nervous smile on his face. He looked beautiful, and I cursed myself for thinking it. 

"Levi." I greeted stiffly. "Come in." He walked in slowly, closing the door behind him. Levi seemed quite happy with himself, which burned me up. 

"What are you grinning about, you bastard?" He looked over at me a second later, as if I had interrupted his daydream. 

"What? Oh, sorry. It's just warm in here. I'm always cold, so, you know. Anyway, Eren we need to talk. Properly, like adults." I nodded and told him that he could sit on the sofa, I sat at my table, my legs crossed and one arm lying across the back of the chair. "So," he started. "I think the way things ended that day was bad. Terrible even. And I swear, I didn't know that you are a stripper. My friend- that woman I was with, she dragged me here. As soon as I saw you, I wanted to leave. I didn't want to make things more awkward, but then Hange called you over. I'm sorry." He sounded sincere, and I was slightly taken aback. How was I supposed to flip out at him if he was apologising? 

"Levi, I really enjoyed going to lunch with you. I think you're a good guy. See, when I left home, I left behind a guy I was dating, and that's why I sort of came onto you. I'd really love if we could just forget that. Please." Levi nodded, and we sat in silence for a minute before he spoke again. 

"So, I paid fifty bucks to be here. We should at least talk." I laughed at that, and his eyes brightened for a split second. 

"Yeah, yeah, sure." 

So, for the next hour we talked. About everything. Levi and I were opposite in a lot of ways, he loved black, I loved white. Levi was always too cold, and I was always too warm. He had a shitty sense of humour, literally. He didn't ask about Dom, and I didn't tell. 

"You're very good at your job, you know." Levi muttered at one stage. I grinned and laughed, feeling my cheeks grow red. 

"Why do you say that?" I asked, not meeting Levi's gaze. 

"I don't know really. I've said this before Eren, but you are incredibly gorgeous, only an idiot wouldn't see that. You're all tanned skin and glowing eyes. And you have an incredibly stage presence, when you're out there, no one can look away. You may not be the best stripper, but you demand attention. You own those men. And you know how to wrap them around your finger, I've witnessed that first hand." I blushed more, looking down and tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. 

"I wouldn't go that far. I've only been doing this for two months." I replied, not acknowledging that he called me gorgeous. "But thank you." I looked back up at his face. His eyes were gentle, more silver than grey. They glittered in the dim light. 

When his time was up, Levi pulled himself off of the sofa, groaning. I stood up as well, snickering at him. I walked him to the door, and smiled softly. 

"Thank you, Levi. It was nice actually talking to you. Feel free to come by another time." He nodded his head and walked away, giving me a soft wave. I closed the door once he was out of sight, and sighed. 

"Weirdest week _ever_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three!! Longest one yet, which I'm proud of. I know that this chapter was fairly fast paced, but things are going to slow down a bit from now one.
> 
> Please comment and leave kudos, I appreciate it a lot, really.
> 
> 'til next time!


	4. When Jean Thinks I'm Getting Laid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Jean interrogates Eren, and where Eren gets a phone call from someone very important to him.
> 
> Sort of a filler chapter, but necessary. I'm trying really hard to hold back from doing all the big things at once, so sorry if this is boring.
> 
> And I just wanna say thank you so much for kudos, and just reading!! I never expected this story to get so many hits and stuff so soon. I'm completely mind blown, you guys are awesome!!

Levi had come by for three days in a row, and we were becoming friends fast. Levi was weird with people he classed as friends. He made awful jokes, and kind of quirky. He didn't understand flirting, his face contorted and he pouted as if he was trying to decode what I was saying. 

He made me miss Armin and Mikasa even more. My eyes stung when I remembered the three of us laughing and joking and drinking until the sun came up.

I sighed, standing up from the cheap and grimy sofa in my apartment. As I stood, the sun shone in my eyes, blinding me. Great, another hot day. I walked towards the small kitchen and grabbed a bowl, a spoon, and a box of cereal. It was roughly midday, and I had to work that night. That left me with a free day, as usual. Levi was probably working, so I couldn't call him. Maybe Marco was free? After eating my cereal, standing at the kitchen counter, I walked towards the phone beside the sofa and dialled Marco's number. After three rings, he picked up. 

"Hey, Eren. What's up?" I heard Jean groan when Marco said my name, and I heard him yelp soon after. Presumably, Marco had hit him. 

"Eh, nothing pressing. I just don't really have anything to do today. Are you free?" 

"Yeah! Why don't you come over. You know my address right? Be here in a half an hour." He hung up, or Jean did it for him. My guess was the latter. I walked back toward the kitchen to clean up after my breakfast when the phone rang again. Probably Marco, telling me to come over later or something. I answered the phone, and no one replied at first. 

"Hello?" I asked, still silence. "Listen, if this is Jean, it's not funny-" 

"It's not Jean." A female voice interrupted. I paused for a second, and suddenly my eyes widened and my heart started banging against my rib cage. 

_Mikasa?_

"Mikasa, is that you?" My voice cracked, my eyes filling with tears. 

"Yeah, Eren. It's me." She was crying, and the sound of her voice made me burst into tears myself. "I've been searching for your number for weeks, Eren. You bastard. Oh my God, Armin is here. We need to talk." Armin was there? My heart was going ninety, and I was both excited and terrified at the prospects of talking to either of them. 

"Armin is there? How are you guys? Still dating?" I asked, sniffing. 

"Yeah, we are. We're great. But listen, Dom dropped by the house yesterday when Mom and Dad were out. Eren, you need to call him. Write to him, something. He's a mess, and he's really angry and hurt. Talk to him." I wanted to cry again, Jesus, did he still love me? 

"Mikasa, can we not talk about Dom right now? I haven't talked to _you_ in two minutes, and I have to leave in about fifteen minutes to go somewhere. Please, just tell me something about home."

"Okay, Eren. If you really want. Well, Mom and Dad haven't so much as mentioned your name or Dom's. Whenever I say that we should try and call, make sure you doing okay, they shut me down immediately. I can tell that Mom misses you, but Dad is still angry. I'm sorry." _Angry?_ He had no right to be angry. Before I could get mad, and start shouting at MIkasa, they put Armin on the phone. 

"Eren!" He shouted. "Oh man, I've missed you so much! How are you? Are you eating? Are you working? Are you-" 

"Armin!" I interrupted, "I'm doing good. I've working, I've made some friends, not as cool as you though. I miss you two so much. Come visit me sometime? Fill me in on everything I've missed. You better be taking goof care of MIkasa, cause I'll kill you if you don't!" He laughed, and even though it was muffled, it reminded me of days at home in the sun. My heart bled to be with them. 

"Listen, Ar. As much as I'd love to talk, I have to run, but make sure you call back tonight. Okay? Bye. Send Mika my love." I jung up before he could interrupt. I just stood still for a minute, comprehending what had just happened. After waiting for a minute, stopping myself from crying, I left for Marco's. The apartment was in Levi's building, and though it was technically Marco's, Jean practically lived there too. It was about a ten minute walk from my place. The bright May sun shone down, I was sweating in my jeans and army green t-shrit. Fall couldn't come fast enough, in my opinion. The roads were almost empty, but the pavement was full of all sorts of people. Grungy teenagers walked in groups of two or three, followed by men in shirts and summer trousers with slicked back hair. I walked slowly with my hands in my pockets, eyes half closed to avoid being blinded by the sun.

Marco's building was a bit fancier than mine, but that wasn't exactly difficult. He let me in, and I slipped inside the door. I took the stairs, which I regretted by the time I had reached the eighth floor. Four more storeys to go. The corridors were painted cream, unlike the almost blue colour of the walls in Marco's apartment. 

"Eren! You're here. Jean just getting changed. Have you eaten? I'm putting on some toast." I sometimes wondered if Marco's face ever hurt from smiling so much, but Jean would probably have punched me if I ever asked. 

"I ate at home, thanks." I responded. I felt slightly awkward, as if I was intruding on Marco and Jean. Being around the two of them was the definition of third wheeling. They exuded a really intense vibe of _'we are so very in love, and it's great'_. Mikasa and Armin had said the same thing about Dom and I, I stopped that train of thought before it could go further and leave me crying on Marco's nice navy sofa. 

"Great, Eren's here." I heard Jean's deep voice from the other end of the apartment. 

"Down dog, play nice." I dead-panned. Jean literally growled at me, unintentionally making himself seem like more of a dog. 

"Oh, sorry, you're not a dog, are you? Yeah, I forgot, you're a fucking horse face." Marco burst out laughing, and Jean muted at him, shocked that his boyfriend would betray him. 

"Fine, laugh at the kid's jokes. We'll see how much you like him when you're jerking off alone tonight." Marco continued to laugh, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing myself. Jean collapsed down onto the sofa, and asked Marco to put on some toast from him. Marco invited me to sit down in the living area. Marco had already turned on the TV, though he wasn't listening to whatever was on. 

"So Eren," Marco said, his tone was flirty, and suddenly I was nervous, "how's Levi?" I blanched. 

"Who's Jean? That guy who goes to your room-" 

"Marco! Did you tell him?" He simply giggled as he buttered some toast. 

"No, shitwaffle, but everyone if talking about him. Are you two screwing?-" 

"No!" I all but screamed, I was bright red, my skin felt hot. My face tingled. "No, we're... friends? It's complicated, but we're not screwing! Oh my god, he lives here, please shut up." As soon as I had said it, I regretted it. Jean grinned, looking over at Marco. They seemed to be conversing using just eye contact. 

"So, Levi lives here? Well, isn't that interesting." I shot up from my chair in a panic. 

"Please don't talk to him. Oh my god, please, please don't." The two started laughing, and I sat back down, clearly pouting. Marco brought over some toast on a plate for Jean, and kissed his cheek as he gave him the plate, before jumping over the back of the sofa to join him.

"How are you 'sort of' friends? Did you sleep together? Kiss? What happened?" Jean asked, biting off some of his toast. I sighed and told him the story of how Levi and I met. I could see him biting his lip, trying his hardest not to laugh at me. Marco listened intently, hitting his boyfriend whenever he accidentally snorted. When I'd told them everything, there was silence for a second before Jean just said, "you need to fuck." Marco snorted, but hit Jean anyway.

"Thanks for that intelligent input, Jean. Really helpful. Im not interested in him anymore, it was nothing." Marco smiled as me wistfully, 

"Eren, don't rule out the possibility that you might be interested, or might become interested. You two sound compatible, and having a boyfriend might do you some good, help you forget that guy you told me about when you moved here." I knew he was right, he always was. Stupid mother hen. 

"What about Bert? He thinks you're cute." Jean suggested. 

"Jean! We're not trying to set him up with _anyone_. Just let Eren-" 

"Did he really say that?" I interrupted. I had never really talked to Bert, but whenever I had, he seemed nice. He was fairly quiet, tall and toned with black hair. The other two stared at me, confused at my outburst. My cheeks pinkened, and I looked down. There was silence for a minute before I spoke up again.

"I'm not ruling out the possibility of Levi and I dating. I think we'd be a good couple. We got along well, you know? But it's not going to happen right now, and if Bert thinks I'm cute, what's the harm in going to get a coffee, or something? You said it yourself, Marco. I need someone right now. Besides, even if Bert isn't actually interested in me, or whatever, at least I'll get to know him a bit more. He is a co-worker, after all. Think about you guys, you met through work. I'm just putting myself out there. " Marco and Jean just stared at me uncomfortably, figuring out what to say next.

"Eren," Marco started carefully, glancing at his boyfriend and holding his hand, "we're not saying to not put yourself out there. We're just saying that you should be carful. Don't look to get yourself hurt for the sake of it." When no one said anything else, I just smiled at Marco and turned my attention back to the television. In my peripheral vision, I could see Jean look nervously at me. It was somewhat disconcerting to see him concerned about me, so I threw him a grin and asked him to turn up the volume. Nervously, he did it.

Hours passed, and at 3p.m, we decided to make pancakes. As it turned out, Jean couldn't cook for shit, and hated that I was better than him. 

"Fuck up, Jeager. I don't need to cook. I'm a better stripper than you." He growled, clenching his fists. I snorted at him, helping Marco make the mixture. 

"At least you need some skill to strip, measuring mild isn't that difficult, yet you still fucked up." Marco was giggling as he fried some bacon to go with the pancakes, and Jean was beginning to look like a child throwing a strop. 

"Marco, you are officially the worst boyfriend I've ever had, and I dated a guy who once got so drunk, whilst being high as a fucking kite, that he had sex with his cousin and shaved his entire head. He had more hair that Erwin has eyebrow, Marco." I think that that was the exact moment I fell on the floor with laughter, clutching the glass bowl I was holding close to my chest and I hissed and snorted and cried. 

"Oh Jaeger, that's not even the worst of it. When he woke up the next morning in a pile of his own hair with his female cousin cuddling him, he decided to call me, and ask if he could move in with me. Because he lived with his cousin, the one he slept with." 

"Amazing. I'm gonna write a book about him, what was his name?" I asked, wiping tears from my eyes. 

"William. What an adventure he was. I'd never smoked weed until I met him." Marco, who was against drugs, and against his boyfriend using them, threw the blonde a dirty look before slapping his ass jokingly. After picking myself up off of the floor, I finished the pancake batter and left the bowl beside Marco, holding on to the edge of the countertop.

A matter of minutes later, we were all seated at the tiny wooden table with mismatched chairs eating bacon, pancakes and maple syrup. We exchanged stories of old boyfriends and drunken adventures. My personal favourite was my own, the time myself, Armin and Mika got incredibly drunk and crashed a dinner party held by the church. We walked in, pissed as hell, as the Reverend was giving a speech on the importance of keeping God close at all times. Needless to say, the old women didn't appreciate my rendition of the Sunday hymns, and my unintelligible additions to the speech.

"Didn't know you had it in you, Jaeger." was all that Jean said in response to my story. From Jean, that meant he was impressed. 

I left about two hours before I had work. The couple weren't working that night, and were going out to a restaurant for date night. It was roughly seven, and I was walking down the final few stairs, Levi began walking up them in his police uniform. When he saw me, he slowed, giving me that weird almost smile. 

"Hey Eren. Come to stalk me?" I snorted, and quirked an eyebrow. 

"Oh right, yeah. Because you're worth stalking. And, if either of us stalks the other, it's you." It was Levi's turn to quirk an eyebrow at me, and as he did, he ran a hand through his hair, which just fell back into its regular side split. 

"Whatever you say. Are you working tonight? I'm just asking because I can't come by. Hang invited herself over, that bitch." I laughed at him and said my goodbye before making my way back to my own apartment. I had an hour before I had to go to work. I contemplated calling Mika and chatting with her, but I decided against it. Erwin wouldn't be happy if I had puffy eyes at work. So I decided to take a nap instead. I didn't dream, for once. It was nice, and the first time in weeks that I wasn't haunted by Dom's sun kissed skin.

Sleep without dreams was comfortable for me. It was silence, and it was cool. An escape from the heat of daily life. The heat in my cheeks when people made me blush, the heat of the Chicago summer sun, the heat of the lights at work. Sleep without dreams was when I really unwound, when I really uncharged. 

But I still woke up cranky. Apparently, a sleep without dreams was only useful to me when it lasted longer than an hour. Wish I'd known that earlier. I groaned as I rolled out of bed, attempting to tame my messy hair. I naturally had messy hair, but my bedhead was a whole other story. Within minutes, I was out the door and on my way to work. The journey seemed shorter for some reason, and I was thankful. When I arrived at the club, I went straight to my room to get ready. Just as I was finished dusting some purple glitter in my hair, I heard a knock on my door. 

"It's open." I shouted, and grinned when I saw Bert in the mirror. Coincidence, or what? 

"Hey man, thanks for the shoes. What can I do for you?' Bert nodded and came in, closing the door behind him. He was tall, roughly my height, with neat black hair and milky skin. Not as pale as Levi's, but paler than mine. He was naturally quiet, but not shy. All in all, Bert was a good guy. 

"No problem. You can keep them, I have plenty." He said, motioning to his own shoes, plain black heels. He was dressed similarly to me, in black shorts with a bowtie. His muscular chest and arms on show.

"Thanks. Anyway, what's up..?" I asked, still looking at him through the mirror. 

"Oh yeah! Sorry. I was wondering if you wanted to go on first or second tonight?" 

"Second, if you don't mind." I told him. He turned to leave and I panicked. Did I want to ask him out? There weren't really any cons in the situation. Bert was nice. He was tall and quiet, not my type, but I was up for trying new things every now and then. All the wheels turned in my brain, and I finally made my decision. 

"Bert!" I shouted, standing up from my chair. He turned around and leaned against the door frame, looking at me with his usual patient stare. "Do you wanna go out sometime? For, like, coffee?" I flashed him my biggest, brightest grin, and fluttered my eyelashes a bit. He looked a bit shocked, his eyes widening slightly before returning to normal. 

"Yeah, yeah totally. Are you free tomorrow?" I walked over to him, still smiling. 

"I am, do you have a piece of paper on you? I'll give you my address." He nodded, and turned to leave. I presumed that I was meant to follow him, and we walked in the direction of his room. It was laid out the same, but cleaner that mine. I guessed that Bert was a clean guy, too. He grabbed a black backpack off of the floor by the door and pulled out a notepad and a black ballpoint pen. His careful hands ripped off about a quarter of a page, and handed it to me with them pen. I gave him a quick smile, and kneeled down to lean on my knee while I wrote. My writing was messy, scrawled even. It had always been messy, very curved and slanted. My cursive writing was just plain illegible, teachers always gave me shit for it in high school. I stood up and handed the paper to Bert before waving and turning to leave. 

"Pick me up at two, 'kay?" He nodded, and I winked at him. I felt happier instantly, and it confused me, but I tried not to dwell on it. 

I had a date!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for two things:  
> a) I haven't updated in forever  
> b)this chapter is short and sort of shit
> 
> i really wanted to get this one up before I'm back to schoo;, and I hope to get the next one up to. Please tell me that you're enjoying this?? Bc idk. i have a habit of thinking that everything i write is shit, which is why all your comments and kudos mean so much to me.
> 
> and omg we hit 500 hits?? That amazes me completely, and we're nearing 50 kudos! Thank you so, so, so much. I really mean that. every time i get an email about a kudos, it brightens my day. you guys are amazing.


	5. Coffee's for Closers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren goes on a coffee date, and accidentally makes a certain black haired cop very jealous...
> 
> The beginning of the actual ereri~~ I still have some things up my sleeve though, don't get to excited! also fifty brownie points for whoever can tell me what the title is reference to
> 
> Also the beginning of the smut woohoo
> 
> Eren's a boxer-brief guy, just to let you know

I had forgotten how stressful first dates actually were. Having not been on one in eight months, the butterflies and stress over my untameable hair were unfamiliar. I was a natural flirt, and my sexual prowess was _intense_ for want of a better word. I had no reason to be nervous, but low and behold, I was at in my apartment fidgeting with my thumbs, tapping my heel off the floor incessantly. It was ten minutes to two, at least ten minutes before Bert would arrive. Why did time seems to pass slow, precisely at the worst time?

I had a habit of thinking too much when I was waiting. What if Bert didn't actually like me? Thinking someone is cute isn't the same as being interested in them. Oh my god, what if Jean was lying to me, just to fuck with me? Would he make me pay? Shit, I had like no spare cash. Surely I could afford two coffees? I took out my wallet, which cost more than it held, and opened it up. I had a ten in it, and a few quarters, and I getting paid the next day. With a sigh, I closed my wallet and dipped my head back onto my chair. 

Seven minutes.

I went back to brushing my fingers through my hair. I would never understand how my hair, though short, managed to curl and twist in every direction _except_ down. 

Four minutes.

There was a knock at the door, and I shot up from my chair, wiping my palms on my jeans. I walked towards the door, taking deep breaths and opened the door, plastering my biggest smile on my face. 

"Bert, hey! I'd invite you in, but really, you don't want to see the inside of these apartments. I promise." He laughed a little, and leaned on the door frame. 

"I'm sure it's fine-" 

"It's really not. It's horrible. I live here because it's cheap." With that, I closed the door, locking it behind me. I looked up at him and smiled, walking towards the stairs.

As it turned out, Bert was brining me to some cute café in a mall. It was a fifteen minute car ride away from my apartment. The radio was on, and some band I'd never heard of was playing. Marco didn't look as good as Levi while driving. He looked very studious, both hands on the wheel, staring at the road with a concentration that was palpable from the passenger street. As soon as I thought it, I mentally slapped myself. I shouldn't be comparing Bert to Levi. Levi was only my friend, granted, he was my incredibly sexy, completely compatible friend. But only a friend. I wasn't going to go there, especially not when I was on a date with another guy. 

"Eren, Eren, everything okay? Eren?" I turned towards Bert as soon as I realised he was speaking. "Sorry if I interrupted your thoughts. We're just coming up at the mall now." I thanked him and double checked for my wallet, patting around my jeans. My eyes widened when I realised my efforts were in vain. 

"Oh shit, Bert. I forgot my wallet, I'm really sorry." I looked at Bert to find him smiling, still looking at the road. 

"That's okay. I'm paying. I had no intentions of letting you pay for anything." I relaxed slightly, but felt bad for comparing him to Levi when he was actually being really nice. I didn't reply, as we were pulling into the parking lot. Bert parked really near to the main entrance. There was a bunch of girls standing there, all wearing flannel shirts tied around their waste with long white shirts and ripped tights. Some of them were smoking, some weren't. They stared at myself and Bert as we walked in. It didn't seem to bother Bert though, he just walked calmly, his hands in the pockets of his beige trousers. The white t-shirt he was wearing, tucked into his trousers, clung to his muscles, outlining all of them.

He may not have been as sexy as Levi, but he was still very, very hot. Very. We walked towards the escalator, shoulder brushing as we did. It was very busy, but that was a given, considering it was Saturday. The café was on the second floor, tucked away in a corner near the bathrooms. It was one of the quietest places I had been in all day. The decor was a marriage of brown and cream from the ceiling, to the tables and napkins. I ordered some sort of latte, and Bert got a vanilla-coffee concoction. I wasn't sure what exactly. We sat is a secluded corner of the café, even though the place was mostly empty. I sat down while Bert waited for the drinks to be made. There was music playing in the background, but it was so faint that I could barely hear it. The mugs seemed to be the brightest things in the café, my drink was served in a bright red cup big enough to be a soup bowl, and Bert's was in a royal blue mug the same size. As it turned out, Bert was older than I was, at twenty-four, going on twenty-five. He was raised by his mother in Indiana, and moved to Chicago when he was twenty, after his mother had died, to meet his dad, who had no interest in him, but gave him enough money to start renting an apartment. He never went to university, but had always wanted to become a chef.

"What about you? All I know is that you're twenty-one." He laughed a little and took a sip off his drink, peering at me past the rim of the cup. 

"Well, I've always lived in Chicago, but I moved to the city recently. I was in college, studying business. I would have been finished this year, but a couple of things happened. I dropped out and moved here. My home life isn't great right now, but I'm getting by." Bert looked at me, concern in his eyes, but didn't push it. 

"When are you twenty-two?" He asked, fiddling with the handle of his mug. 

"August. I'm the baby at the club," I said, laughing. "But don't worry, I won't call you a cradle robber. Reiner is older than you, isn't he?" Bert laughed again, kicking me under the table. 

"Oh, you wanna play that game? You wanna play dirty?" I said, sliding my foot up his leg. Bert smirked at me, winking at me as he slouched in his chair, opening his legs a little wider. I smirked back at him, putting my cup down and and running my hand through my hair. 

"I thought you were the bashful one," Bert murmured, shyness dissipating in favour of a flirty tone and deep voice. 

"I am," I replied, smirking, "in certain positions." I leaner closer to him, elbows on the table. There were only a few inches between us, and I could feel his eyes on me, looking me up and down. "Want to find out which ones?" 

"Let's head back to my place." Bert whispered, staring at my lips as he spoke. We both stood up fast, surprising the lady behind the counter. Some part of me told me not to do this. There was a half full cup of coffee and conversation on that table. I knew that it was wrong, only a half an hour ago, I was thinking about Levi and comparing him to Bert. Now I was on my way to his apartment. I didn't even know if I was interested in him or not. I continued to attempt to rationalise with myself all the way back to the car, but I lost the ability to think when I was seated in the passenger seat, and Bert's lips were suddenly on mine. He kissed me slowly, lips moving rhythmically as he moved his hand up to the back of my head, tangling his fingers in my hair. I moaned as he pulled my head towards his, kissing me deeper. His tongue parted my lips, and slowly started to tease me tongue with his, encouraging me to kiss him back. I happily obliged, my heart pounding and my head swimming. Bert's other hand moved to my hip, squeezing gently. I moaned beneath him, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him down towards me. I felt dizzy, and I was barely able to form any sort of comprehensible thought. Eventually he pulled back, panting. A string of spit connected out lips, making me blush. I sat there panting, mouth open and eyes lidded. My arms were still around Bert's neck, and after a moment, I pulled him back down to me, smashing our lips together once more. He kissed me deeply, drawing my tongue back into his mouth. I submitted completely to him, like putty in his hands, moaning and whimpering at his ministrations.

"Wow," I whispered once he pulled back, still panting. We sat back in our respective chairs, and Bert started to drive. We drove in silence, but the sexual tension was turning me on so much that I was tempted to whip out my dick right there and then. I could tell Bert felt the same, every now and then, he would squeeze the steering wheel so hard his knuckles would turn white. After a few minutes, I had built up the courage to slip my hand into Bert's lap. His thigh stiffened once my hand settled, but after a few seconds, he relaxed again. Slowly, my usual courage was returning to me, so I decided to be even more daring. I twisted in my seat and moved towards Bert, so that my mouth was right by his ear.

"I don't think I can wait much longer," I whispered, purposefully moaning a bit at the end. Slowly, I started to kiss down his neck, licking and sucking at certain points. Bert groaned, his voice breaking a bit. "Bert, please." I moaned, making a show of sliding my hand up my thigh, leaving it dangerously close to my half-hard cock. 

"Eren. Eren, stop. Seriously, I'll crash the car." I pulled back, smirking at him, eyes half lidded. He visibly gulped, but said nothing. It only took a few more minutes to get to Bert's apartment, and we were out of his car so fast, I couldn't even remember it happening once we got inside. His apartment was lavish in comparison to mine. The walls were a purposeful grey, unlike the unpainted walls at my place. He was a black leather suite, and the kitchen was mostly monochrome except for all the crockery, and the food which was out in various bowls. I didn't have time to seriously analyse his furnishings, as I was busy being pushed towards the bedroom while making out heavily with Bert. Once we got through the bedroom door, Bert through me onto his bed, and pressed himself down on top of me. The entire time, our lips never parted. He began fumbling with the hem of my shirt, his hands sliding up my chest. My hands went around his back as his fingers tickled my chest. He played with my muscles, making them clench and bulge under his touch. I moaned as he moved his mouth to my neck, latching onto the spot above my collar. Bert's tapered fingers pinched my nipples, rolling them between his index finger and thumb. 

"Bert, oh god." I moaned, moving my hands from his back to his chest, slipping them under his shirt. His abs rippled under my fingers. I groaned at the feel on them, moving one hand to his left bicep. I squeezed making Bert groan. He sat up for a second, and moved his hands to the button on my jeans. He paused momentarily, looking between my face and the bulge in my trousers.

"Is this okay?" He asked quietly, looking straight at me. I just nodded, arching into his hand. Bert took that as a solid yes, so he unbuttoned my jeans and pulled hem down a little, just enough to see my shorts and about an inch of my thighs. Bert undid his own jeans, and leaned down to roll his hips into mine. We both manned at the friction, and I arched my hips into him, moving faster. I moved my mouth across his collarbones, licking and nipping at the exposed skin. My hands roamed over his back, and when I reached the hem, I pulled his shirt up so I could see his abs. Bert moved a hand from the bed to my crotch, his hand slipped beneath the band of my boxers and gripped my cock. I whined, my head falling back onto the pillows. It felt amazing, his grip was firm, but gentle. It had been too long since someone touched me, and I knew I wasn't going to last long. I felt the heat build in the bottom of my stomach, my mind was going blank. I had long since lost the ability to form concrete thoughts.

"Bert!" I moaned when he started to move his hand, using my precum as lube. The thumbed the slit and caressed my sac, and moan after moan spilled out of my mouth. It was too much for me, he was too good. I only lasted a minute longer before I came, shooting up my exposed chest. My head shook, and I writhed on the bed as the orgasm hit me. 

"Oh yeah." I breathed, panting as I came down from my high. Bert was still above me, but he was sitting to my side now, one arm stretching across my chest to rest on the pillow beside my head. "God. That was good. Wow." Bert chuckled at me before rolling over to get off the bed. 

"I'll go finish in the bathroom. You just relax. I'll get you a wash cloth." He returned a minute later, and threw a wet washcloth at me from the doorway. I mumbled my thanks as he returned to the bathroom. It didn't take me long to clean up, not as long as it took Bert to finish. So I waited in his room, still breathing too heavily for it to be classed as normal. My mind was sort of a mess. I had just let Bert give me a handjob, Bert who I had only been on one date with, a date which I was still on. Things were now more serious than I had intended on letting them get. If I decided, as soon as I wasn't floating around in a post-orgasm haze, that I wasn't interested, what was I supposed to say? _'Yeah, I know you gave me a handjob on our first date, but I'm not actually interested. I was just deflecting my feeling for a short, black haired cop onto you.'_ Woah, wait. I didn't have any feelings for Levi. What the fuck was my subconscious saying? If I was deflecting any feelings, they were feelings for Dom. Expired, bittersweet feelings which I was trying to turn back into love. Definitely not feelings for Levi. I sighed, falling back onto the bed. Bert wasn't a bad guy, and we seemed to fit. Surely I could go on a few more dates, and then if I decided that I wasn't interested, I could just come clean. But that still left me with some weird sort of feeling for Levi. I groaned and rolled over just as Bert walked back into the room. He sat down at the edge of the bed and smiled at me. He was back to being quiet too, which was good. I needed something normal, in times where everyone seemed to be turning me on and I didn't know what I was doing with my life.

"Are you working tonight?" I wasn't aware that I had said it until Bert replied. 

"No, I'm not." We stayed in silence after that, and I could feel the awkward tension set in. I didn't want to stick around for a 'what-are-we' chat, so I sat up, fixing my clothes a bit. 

"Could you give me a ride home?" I asked. Bert just nodded, and w stood up, walking back towards the front door. I was able to appreciate Bert's apartment more now that I wasn't busy trying to get his hands on my body. It had a weird resemblance to Monica's apartment from F.R.I.E.N.D.S, except more black, white and grey with odd splashes of colour here and there. I think the main reason I was fascinated with Bert's decor was because his apartment looked lived in, he had possessions here and there, cooking magazines and books on the coffee table, a watch beside the TV, things that I left at home. I closed the door behind me with a sigh, and walked down the stairs slowly. We didn't talk in the car, but it gave me plenty of time to think. I had realised, in my twenty-one years of living, that sex made me weird. I was unable to act sexually with someone without panicking and freaking out, the same way I was in Bert's car. As soon as someone touched my dick, I couldn't act normally around them. Being shy wasn't in my nature, it was more like I became distant, as if I was no longer sure about my feelings for the person. It made no sense, especially since, once I got used to being sexual with someone, I spent twenty three hours of the day humping their leg. Classy, I know. 

I only realised that I was rambling to myself when the car stopped. I shook my head and blinked back into reality, looking at Bert and smiling. "Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow then." Before he could reply, I leaned over and pecked his lips. I could feel my face contort into some confused mess, so I hoped out of the car rather quickly. The air was cold, I hadn't realised. 

I was working an earlier shift that night, and I realised that Levi didn't know, so I made my way over to the phone. Just as I was picking up my phone, ready to dial Levi, I paused. I could feel logical thoughts setting in, so I decided to put down the phone. I stood by the phone, trying to figure out my feelings. There was nothing wrong with calling him, was there? Levi was a good friend of mine. I was just asking if h could come to my show today. But I also had some sort of thing for him, whether i was sexual or not, I didn't know. I hadn't done this much thinking in a long time, and I was beginning to get a headache. Deciding to ignore the small part of my brain that actually spoke logic, I moved to pick up the phone. I had Levi's number written on a notepad, so I dialled it carefully. The dial tone made my stomach churn, but the sound of Levi's gravelly voice mutter "hello?" made my heart race. 

"Hi, Levi. It's Eren." 

"Oh, hey Eren. Everything okay?" 

"Yeah, I'm great. I just wanted to let you know that I'm going on at six tonight instead of ten, in case you wanted to stop by." There was silence for a moment, and I felt like hanging up and puking, but before that urge could take over, Levi responded. 

"Desperate to see me, Jaeger? You could be a little more subtle, you know." I heard the noise that I had come to recognise at Levi's laugh, irritating little bastard.

"No, Shorty. Besides, I was on a date today." It sounded as childish as I thought it would, and I expected Levi to tease me about it, but it seemed that I had piqued his interest. 

"A date? Was he blind, or just dumb?" I smirked, which one of us was being desperate now, eh?

"Excuse you. He's a very cute, very able guy. He's a stripper too. I have lots of gossip for you, if you wanna hear it. You'll definitely find something to laugh about." 

"Laugh at Eren Jaeger? I'd be an idiot to pass up such an opportunity. I'll be there at six." 

"Hm, I expected as much. See you then." 

Levi hung up before I did. I didn't know the time, and the sky wasn't giving me much, it was just sort of bleak out. My favourite kind of day. All hours seemed to blend together in an everlasting 10am haze. I sighed and lay down on my couch, I was tired, but not physically. I was emotionally drained from my heart, and dick unanimously deciding that I liked Bert, but I wanted Levi. One of my long legs was hanging off the end of my sofa. It made my hip feel weird, as if my leg was only semi-attatched. I was spacing at this stage, only thinking to occupy myself. I felt horny, too. No really what I needed. My dick was working against me, I was sure of it. I was acting more annoyed than I actually was, in reality. I didn't mind jerking off, but I felt like pretending that I did would make me look like a better person in front of guests who I didn't even have. I grumbled to myself, but reached down to touch myself through my jeans anyway. Everything went too slow but too fast at the same time from there on out. Nothing lasted long enough, but still seemed to be never ending. In reality, it probably only took me about five minutes to come, between images of Bert, Dom, and more guilty images of Levi, and my hand tugging hard at the base of my cock. My hand was covered in come, but I was too lazy to wipe it off, so I left my hand curled around my softening cock, heart racing. 

Eventually I got cleaned up, showering and changing. I felt hungry then, so I ate some poptarts and drank some watery coffee before heading to work. Reiner, and some guys who usually worked mornings were in. I didn't bother talking to them though, there wasn't very much time before I went on. I was opening. Getting ready was a ritual by that stage. Muscle memory, even. My hands seemed to know what to do, where to go, without me even thinking about it. The half an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and then I was waiting to hear my name over the speakers. 

I saw Levi instantly, he was sitting closer to the front than he usually did. He winked when he saw me, and raised his glass towards me. Uncharacteristic of him, I wondered how much he had drunk so far. I would later find out that he hadn't had anything to drink. My eyes were glued to him for the entire fifteen minutes that I was on stage. To say that I was slutting it up would be putting it lightly. Eye contact, I had learned, was incredibly important when trying to seem like you wanted to have sex with someone (even if you really, _really_ didn't). I knew everyone was eying me, I could feel it on my skin. The hot stared burned my skin, especially when there were only a few inches between us. At one stage, I was so close to Levi's face that I was tempted to kiss him. I leaned down, looking him dead in the eye, mouthing the lyrics, my lips only a whisper away from his, _erotic, erotic, put your hands all over my body_. His eyes had gone from grey to a dark, flickering silver. I could feel them everywhere as I let my head fall to the side, running my hands up and down my chest. _There's a certain satisfaction in a little bit of pain._ I walked away from him and sat in another guys lap, bouncing around a bit as I grinned, rolling my head around and letting my hair fall into my eyes. I was enjoying myself a bit too much, and I was feeling brave. There was a rush that wasn't usually there. Jean told me about it before. Something about being a closeted exhibitionist. I couldn't think straight with the music pulsating through my body.

My set was over soon after that, and I proudly grinned and bowed before going backstage, a bounce in my step. It took Levi approximately three minutes to arrive at my dressing room door. He never watched the other guys, and that was a fact that filled me with pride and joy. 

"Good work out there." He said, smirking a little as he leaned against the door frame. "You looked really happy, and also a bit like a really hot whore." I burst out laughing at that. His eyes looked soft, friendly even. 

"Thank you. Now sit down." I scolded, he smirked, shaking his head, but did as he was told yesterday. "So, I'm going to tell you all about my date, and you're going to sit there like the nice little short and angry cop you are-" 

"Don't call me short. You know full well that I'll strangle you if you call me short-" 

"Yes, yes. You're so damn scary when you're angry. Rawr, bite me." He rolled his eyes and sat back, his right ankle rested on his left knee. He crossed his arms over his chest and just glared at me. For some reason, I found it unbelievably funny, but I bit lip to keep from laughing. I had a feeling Levi wouldn't find kicking my ass if I laughed at him over his height. He was a police man, after all. "So anyway, as I was saying. Bert, who works here, brought me out to coffee. He paid, which was great because as you know, I'm poor. But really we only stayed for like twenty minutes and then we left to make out in his car. Oh my god Levi, he is one kisser. Like holy shit. Oh, and then he gave me a hand job in his apartment, which is also great. He has a really good sense of style." Levi just stared at me, almost bored for a minute. 

"He gave you a hand job on the first date?" I nodded. "Wow, classy." 

"Hey! Don't be mean. It's been a really long time since I've been on a first date. Or a date in general. And I was excited to tell you, since we're, you know, friends or whatever." When I looked back up at Levi, I saw him smiling at me. Not smirking, smiling. His eyes were soft, with slight lines at the corners, and one side of his mouth quirked higher than the other. 

"Hey, don't get mad. I'm only teasing. Of course we're friends, I just wouldn't get so excited about a first date where things instantly get sexual. From experience, I know that things don't always work out. Just be careful, okay?" He raised one eyebrow, and I just pouted. 

It was then that I realised how childish I was being, but I couldn't help it. I wanted him to be happy for me. Considering how confused he made me, it sort of made sense. I felt like him approving of my current relationship would make it easier for me to sort out my feelings for him. Who knew. 

"Besides, you deserve to be treated better. I know that I sure as hell wouldn't get you in my bed so soon." I snapped my head towards him. What the fuck was that? How the _fuck_ did I respond to _that_? 

"Eh...-" 

"I'm just saying that I think it's a very poor way to treat a stripper. Get in his pants on the first date. Besides, how good could a hand job be?" I furrowed my eyebrows out him and spoke very slowly. 

"Good, a hand job can be very good. Levi, what's up?" 

"I don't know. I just- agh. I don't know. I suppose I just don't like hearing about other guys using you. And I know this Bert guy isn't using you, I'm just scared that he might end up doing just that." I didn't know what to think. Did Levi find my relationship, dare I say it, disquieting? 

"Let's talk about something else. We only have forty-five minutes." Congestion came easily after that, and all awkwardness was left behind. But I still felt weird going home that night. Levi's words stuck in my head, did they mean something? Or was he just being a concerned friend? Part of me wanted to believe that is was the former. 

For the second time that day, the thought of Levi's hands on my body, on my cock, made me come hard and fast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes i regret making this a 90's au because i really want to write eren dancing to Hey Ya! but that came out in 2002
> 
> do you have any idea how many madonna songs i had to listen to to find the right one. like 30. t.h.r.i.t.y.
> 
> this chapter is over 4500 words and I know that doesn't seem like a lot but hey ho i am proud. very proud.
> 
> okay two more things: next chapter will be in Levi's p.o.v, and can you guys please help me come up with Eren's stripper name and club name because I am blank. blank.
> 
> Okay, thank you so much for all the votes and comments and hits. See you next time!!


	6. Bite Me, Jaeger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just Levi being Levi (so, grumpy, a potty mouth, _rude_ and damn hot), and some insight to how he feels about eee(eren)eeeeeverything~~
> 
> I love writing Levi, he's just so gr8. and hot, he's really, really hot. trust me.
> 
> okay i'm sorry this took so long but between being drunk, hungover, and getting exam results, I've had no time

I had learned, in my four years of being a police officer, that work did not get easier the more you did it. In fact, it got _worse_. Much, much worse. There were things I enjoyed, intimidating and chasing people being two of them (talk about sadistic). But all in all, doing the same thing day in, day out got a little more than painful. I liked routine, I loved routine, but sometimes work was just too fucking much for me. 

While I'm complaining, I'll also mention that being with Hange everyday was fucking hell. All I heard _all fucking day, every fucking day_ was _'have you slept with Eren yet?'_ Uh, _no,_ because the kid is busy screwing someone else even though he'd look so fucking good perched on my cock- 

Nope. Not going there. Sure, Eren was gorgeous, completely out of this world gorgeous, but he was just my friend. My friend who danced half naked in my lap when we hung out, but hey, he got twenty dollars for it. Eren never got dressed when I was in his dressing room. It was distracting, especially because the kid couldn't just fucking sit still. He was constantly throwing his long, tanned legs around, and jumping about, taunting me with his toned chest. Christ, I was horny for a _child_. He wasn't actually a child, at twenty-one, but he acted like one. After Hange, he laughed more than anyone I knew. And he was so full of personality, eyes bright with excitement, or at least they were when he wasn't on stage. That is- until four nights ago. I thought he was going to burst with excited energy, it almost made his messy hair stand on edge. 

And the reason for Eren's newfound excitement was exactly why I was in such a bad mood. Eren had been on a date, and the guy gave him a hand job on the first date, classy, I know. I couldn't really comprehend why I was so fucking jealous. I didn't own Eren. I hadn't even know the kid a month. And I didn't have a crush on him! I wasn't a fifteen year old girl, for fuck sake. We had a purely platonic relationship. I knew that, and I didn't want more than that, yet I couldn't help the burning sensation in my chest when he told me about how happy he was, and how excited he was. I sure as hell wasn't jealous because I couldn't get a date. I spent the former half of my twenties sleeping around, and my high school life doing much the same, except that was before I realised I was gay. Poor little Nathalie Anderson didn't expect me to come out to her as she gushed about how we were going to go to the same college, get married, and spend our lives together with our four beautiful children. Was I jealous of that Barry guy? Wait, no, not Barry. Brendan? Herbert? Bart? Bert? Bert! Was I jealous of him? I mean, anyone who got to touch any part of Eren was lucky, as I said before, he was insanely beautiful, but was I jealous that I couldn't touch him? I could have if I wanted to, easily. _But I didn't have a crush on him._ If it wasn't jealousy, it was just me being protective. Now, believe me when I say it wasn't in my nature to be protective over someone, unless I was seriously in love with them, and I learned that the hard way. I was territorial, sure, I didn't like people invading my space, or hanging around me (read: fuck the fuck off, Hange), and I hated people flirting with my friends (I mean, get a room, you disgusting fuckers!), but I wasn't protective. 

I groaned out loud, Eren was fucking me sideways, and not the good type of fucking. I was in my apartment, siting on the two person couch. I had the day off, so I took it as an opportunity to clean my apartment. I lived in a moderate sized place, two bedrooms, one bathroom and an open living/kitchen space. The walls were painted a deep red, which matched the deep brown suite. All the cushions were mustard, or a light blue-toned grey. The floors were wooden, and there was a mustard rug under the glass coffee table. I had a small TV and a few tapes, as well as soon books on a cabinet against the wall, but nothing else. No pictures or painting, I had no need for them. I really didn't want to have to look at my family's faces everyday, any pictures were an extra item to clean. Not that I didn't like cleaning, but I also disliked excess clutter. It was already midday, and I spent the entire morning cleaning. I even had a specific outfit for it. 

I was rambling at that stage, bored out of my mind. I considered calling Eren, even though I knew he would call me that night. It was something he started doing after Saturday, as soon as he was sure I was home after visiting him at the club, he'd call me. I wasn't sure why, part of me thought it was because he was lonely, but the conversations were never anything important, more like mindless chatter. Take for example, Monday night:

 _"Hey, Levi.'_

 _"Hello, Eren. Everything okay?"_

I sighed, but really, I didn't mind him calling me. 

_"Yeah, I just like talking to you, you give good advice."_

"What do you need advice for?" 

"I don't know, sometime I need advice and I don't even realise it?" 

"Are you sure you're okay? I can come over if you're not?" 

"I'm fine. If you wanna hang up-" 

"No. It's fine. Just wanna make sure. Let's talk about something. How's your boyfriend?" Why did I ask that? I didn't want to know about Bert. 

_"He's not my boyfriend."_ He said it softly, it was like he was right there, whispering in my ear. It sent shivers down my spine. 

_"Okay. How's Bert?"_

 _"Okay. I like him, but I'm afraid of getting into a serious relationship."_

 _

"Then don't make it serious. Why are you afraid?" 

_ There was silence for a minute before he whispered a reply. 

_"I think I'm still in love with Dominic."_ Dominic had been mentioned to me briefly, all Eren said was that they broke up on bad terms before Eren moved. I didn't know much about Eren's home life, apart from the fact that it was bad. 

_"Eren, you don't have to get into a relationship with Bert if you don't want to. He doesn't have a right to be with you. If you're not ready, rushing into something new will only make you feel worse. If you think you're still in love with Dominic, take some time to get over him. Have some time for yourself, don't force yourself to find someone new. I know that people think rushing into a new relationship will help them fix the old one, but that's not the case at all. Talk to Bert, if he's a good guy, and you seem to think that he is, he'll understand."_ I heard sniffing on the other line, and suddenly my heart was in my throat. He wasn't crying, was he? 

_"Eren? Are you crying? I'm coming over. I'll be there in ten-"_

 _"Don't!"_

I paused in my tracks, and waited for him to finish. 

_"I'm sorry, I just don't want you putting yourself out for me. It's nearly midnight, and you probably have work tomorrow._

"Eren, I'm coming over. You can't stop me. You're sleeping at my place tonight, okay?" I hung up before he could reply. I felt like an idiot, but something told me that it would be better if we had that conversation face to face. And I didn't want to have it in his dingy apartment. He could sleep in my spare bedroom, have a decent meal and shower in the morning, and then cry his beautiful eyes out. It was exactly what I needed when I was his age, but no one did it for me. Even if no one gave a damn about me, Eren didn't deserve that. 

I was at his place within fifteen minutes, and after five minutes of him pouting and trying to hide his crying face, he was in my car and were driving back to mine. He started crying half way, and I just let him be. Neither of us moved once I had parked. My heart broke for him. The poor baby gay, he didn't deserve that. Eren deserved diamonds and rubies and all the world had to offer. I wanted to gag at how caring I was being, but it seemed that whenever Eren was involved, I turned into the mushy romantic that I really was. We waited in the car in silence, except for the noise of Eren's sobs. Eventually, I had to be somewhat forceful, and tug him out of the car and lead him inside. He sat down on the couch when I told him I was going to make hot chocolate, the crying seemed to have stopped for now. I gave him my favourite mug, it was big and round and got just hot enough that it warmed your hands, but didn't burn them. 

"Here you go," I muttered as I sat down, placing one leg under me. He mumbled some sort of an awkward thank you and sipped the drink, flinching a little at its heat. He put the mug down slowly, clearly afraid of spilling anything in my pristine apartment. 

"I'm sorry." He whispered softly after a few moments. I sighed, looking up at him. His big, sea green eyes were bloodshot from crying, and I could see his emotions swirling around in them. I hadn't seen anyone is such despair since I was twenty-five. His hair looked like a rag, and he was wearing pyjamas, a loose sweatshirt with some navy bottoms. 

"It's okay. I'm only doing the right thing. Do you want to talk? Or just shower and sleep? I'll loan you some nice fresh pyjamas. Those ones could do with a wash." I heard him choke a little, the sort that just sort of slips out when you're trying your very hardest not to cry, but alas, it happens anyway. I moved over so that I was closer to him. My fingers itched to reach out and hug him. What was this kid doing to me? 

"Can we talk?" He managed. I nodded. Hot tears were already slipping down his face, and he laughed a little as he wiped them away. "Christ, I'm a mess." He was silent for a second, but then started talking. 

"My parents kicked me out because I'm gay. They forced me to drop out of college and move away because they couldn't stand having a 'faggot for a son'. It was Dominic who they caught me with. We were just kissing, but that's enough really. I never really said goodbye to him, and I ignored all his calls and pleas. I just sort of cut him out before I moved. I thought it would be easiest. I was wrong. I haven't seen him since the day we were caught. I haven't seen my parents since that weekend. Or my sister and my best friend. That's why I live in such a shit place, I didn't move to start my own life, and my family aren't poor. I didn't have a choice." He looked at me once he had finished, his eyes were scrunched up a little, it looked unbelievably cute. 

"C'mere." I whispered and pulled him down to me. He saw beside me, head on my chest. He was still sniffing, but at least the crying had calmed down. "You're parents are assholes. I won't apologise for saying that, and you shouldn't want me to. They're complete assholes, and homophobic ones too. Anyone who won't love you because you love guys doesn't deserve you. What they ddi to you was horrible, there's no other word for it. You should've been able to finish college and move in with Dom and get a job. Instead you're stuck with a shitty apartment, a shitty job, and you have to work for Erwin and stress about you're relationship. It's not right." 

"I know it's not. I keep blaming myself for it too. If I wasn't gay, I wouldn't be a disappointment to them." He gripped my t-shirt and sighed. My heart twist for him, I had spent a few painful months thinking the same thing before as soon as I became a cop. Blaming myself for something I couldn't control, thinking I was wrong for loving people. It was horrible. 

"Eren, don't think like that. You're not a disappointment for being who you are. I get that you're in a difficult place right now, but don't let yourself think like that. I did, and wasted four months of my life in the process." He didn't speak for a minute, and buried his head further into my chest instead. I was running my hands through his silky hair when he decided to start speaking again. 

"My mom isn't actually my mom." He paused, and thought for a second. "As in, she's my step mom. My actual mom dies when I was eight. It was a car crash. Her name was Carla. My dad remarried when I was fourteen. He was always cold, and basically just a bastard, but when he married Anna, he got a whole lot worse. He didn't abuse me or Mika or anything, I mean, he hit me a few times, yeah. But he made us call Annie 'mom'. He was barely home after they got married, and he was drunk most of the time anyway. Annie was insanely strict, she's the one who picked my degree and stuff. Growing up with her was like living in an army camp." 

"My parents are French. My name's actually Rivaille. I lived in France until I was twelve, I'm fluent. My dad didn't move with me and my mom, though. Once I reached graduation, my mom decided to give my dad another chance, so she moved back to France. I took a year out before going to the academy. Now I'm a grumpy old policeman, who happened to be short as well." Eren let out a little laugh, and I did too. He sat up then, his green eyes were red and puffy, but the little smile and there was a little smile on his lips from my joke. He moved so that he was sitting with one leg under him and took another sip from his hot chocolate. 

"Are you actually fluent?" He asked, I nodded and smirked at him. "Prove it." He challenged. 

"J'essaie de mon mieux ne pas t'embrasser." I told him, smirking . He looked at me, pouting, and his eyebrows furrowed.

"What did you say?" He asked. 

"Secret." I replied. 

"Levi!" He drawled. "I can speak a little German, my mom was German. Carla- not Annie." 

"Go on, then." 

"Eh, it's only a little, and she taught me when I was six. You can't laugh." I nodded and signalled for him to go on, "eh, ich heiße Eren und ich bin einunzwanzig Jahre alt. Ich spreche night gut Deutsch." His accent was sort of broken, and he wouldn't look me in the eye as he spoke. Still, hearing him speak German sent a shiver down my spine. 

"What was that middle sentence? After your name. I got the other two." 

"I'm twenty-one." He was still fiddling with his thumbs a bit, but he looked better than he did earlier. "You should probably go to bed, Levi, you have work tomorrow, don't you?" 

"I don't mind staying up, besides, I'd like to hear more of that German." He laughed, but it was forced. The blush, however, that rose to his cheeks wasn't. I got up and grabbed the mugs of cold hot chocolate and threw them down the sink. 

"Want another?" I asked, turning my head to look at him. 

"Just water, please." I nodded and cleaned out the mug, putting them away once I had dried them. I filled up a glass of water for him and fell back down on the couch beside him. 

We talked until 2a.m, when Eren's voice got tired, and even softer than usual. He closed his eyes at some point, and his breathing began to grow steady. His replies turned into one word sentences and he'd laugh at anything. Eren was adorable when he was tires. 

"Come on, mon ami, let's get you to bed." I groaned as I stood, and pulled Eren off the couch. He was like putty in my hands as I walked him towards the spare bedroom, and fell asleep as soon as I tucked him under the covers.

"Night Levi, thank you." He mumbled as he pulled the duvet up right under his chin. He was asleep by the time I reached the bedroom door. 

That was how Eren ended up staying at my place until Wednesday. After his show at the club on Tuesday, it was sort of an unspoken agreement that he was staying another night, just in case. But on Wednesday morning, after breakfast, he said he was going home. He wasn't working that night other, so I wouldn't hear from him until Friday, unless he called me. 

He didn't. So, Friday evening, I go backstage before the show, just to check on him. What I walked in on was him making out with his boyfriend. My mind went to an instant panic. _Why is Eren kissing that guy? Why is he enjoying it? Why isn't he pushing him off and coming running to me? What? What?'_ And I was forced to snap out of my daydream when Eren cleared his throat, holding himself awkwardly. 

"Sorry Levi, I didn't think you'd be here. This is Bert- my boyfriend." He sad the last part with purpose, as if to tell me _I'm okay._ I didn't buy it, but maybe that was because I didn't want to. Bert looked at me, clearly waiting for an official introduction. 

"Hi Bert. I'm Levi, a friend of Eren's." Bert smiled at me and reached a hand forward. I shook it, but something told me not to trust him. Then again, something told me not to trust anyone. My subconscious, I'm pretty sure. "Nice you to meet you, as Eren said, I'm his boyfriend. Bertolt Hoover." His smile was fake as hell, this guy obviously didn't like me. Good thing too, I didn't like him either. Tacky, cheap bastard. Fuck him. There was an awkward silence before the vacuum cleaner spoke again. 

I'm going on soon, I'll see you after." He leaned down and kissed Eren. It was soft, and made something in my stomach twist. Fucking cunt, little shit, waste of space asshat- 

"Levi? You doing okay? You look constipated." He smirked at his own joke, and I rolled my eyes, pretending that I didn't find it funny. 

"Fuck you, brat. I'm just here to make sure you're okay, but it seems that you're doing _a-o-fucking-kay._ " He blushed, and scratched the back of his neck. 

"Uh, yeah, I decided to just get over my whole awkward sex thing, and relationship thing. I'm diving in, testing the waters, etc. Thanks though, for letting me stay over, and for being such a great friend. I appreciate it..." Eren looked at me awkwardly, before moving across the room and grabbing me in a soft hug. "Sorry, I know this isn't your thing, it's just, eh, there hasn't been anyone there for me in a while. Thank you. Really." I let out a gentle sigh at his confession, and reached up an arm to wrap around his back. I gripped him to me in the least sexual way possible. I could feel his breathing on my neck. 

"Eren, I'll always be here. I'm your friend, okay?" I squeezed him tighter for a second before pulling back. He looked precious, as if he was about to cry with joy. It brought a smile to my face, a real one. He blushed a bit at that. I let out a gentle laugh and ruffled his hair quickly.

"Shitty brat. I'm gonna go sit down. Want me to come back after?" He looked at me awkwardly. 

"I'm actually going to Bert's tonight. We're going straight after I preform. I'm really sorry. He was really insistent about it." I grimaced, especially when he said that Bert was insistent. That didn't sound good. 

"Eren, don't let him make you do anything you don't want to do. He's your boyfriend, not your owner." I told him sternly. 

"I know, I know! Now shoo, it down you old midget-" 

"Oi! Idiot kid."I retorted as he all but shoved me out the door. I sighed, and walked towards the my usual seat. I really didn't want to watch Bert, or any other guy. Eren was on fourth, after Bert, Eren's friend Marco, and some guy called Reiner. I was so not interested. Sure, they were good, and attractive, but I was only here to support Eren, and to make his job easier. He could still straddle me and do all that incredibly hot stuff that he had to do, and know that I wasn't some old creep who'd try to touch him. And usually we'd get to talk after, but now his good-for-nothing boyfriend was getting in the way. Fucking cockblocking bastard. I sighed once more as Bert walked on stage. My eyes slid across the stage, barely even looking at him. He was fake. I mean, Eren's performance was fake, but under it all, he loved it. It had become apparent recently that he actually loved the attention. He loved controlling the room. And boy did Eren control the room. It was impossible to look away when he was dancing around. He could control the whole world with those eyes, that smile, and that body. He knew it too, or at least he was realising it. I looked back up to see Bert thrusting his hips in the _tackiest_ way I had ever seen. Was he a horny fifteen year old, or a twenty-something year old stripper? Christ. Was he dancing to Eren's song? It was some shitty 80's song, I didn't even know who sang it. Eren was the only guy I had ever seen dance to it. I felt a tic in my jaw, I really didn't like this guy. Not one bit. Hange would call me such a child if she knew. Oh my god, she's probably say that I had a crush on Eren. Which I didn't. When I first met him, I was attracted to him, but I had soon realised that I didn't have any romantic feelings for him. I cared about him, which was weird for me, considering we had only known each other for a short amount of time, but I did care about him. 

Bert would be finished soon, but there were still two more guys before Eren. I could see the manager, Erwin, staring at me. That guy was a creep. But there I was, sitting and waiting. The things we do for friendship. 

God, that was cheesy. 

At least I'd have a story for Hange.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry that i don't update often. trust me when i say that i always think about this fic. I'm just never alone to write it, and when i type when my family around they're all 'what ya typinnnnnn' and want to see. I'm so sorry
> 
> also i used dictionary.com to translate the english. you'd think that after three years of doing french that i'd now how to speak it, but nope. if the translation are wrong, feel free to correct them!
> 
> btw people call vacuum cleaners 'hoovers' where i live, thats why levi called bert a vacuum cleaner. sorry if thats not funny, i think its funny
> 
> also this is a link to a picture of levi smiling and when i look at it i stg it nearly brings tears to my eye. no idea who drew it, i found it when i googled levi smiling. it's not mine, I'm not saying it is. google levi smiling. it'll brighten your day.  
> http://orig12.deviantart.net/8387/f/2014/236/a/b/f_u_n____song_fic____levi_x_reader_x_hanji_by_dullprince-d7wgbbx.jpg
> 
> 4001 words exactly. I'm sorry that i don't write 10000 word long phenomenal chapters with great descriptions and beautiful characters, but I'm trying. i promise I'm trying


	7. No, You Won't Sleep on My Couch, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren stays over at Berts p1, not my best work.

After the show ended and Levi's time ended, Bert stormed his way into my room. I saw Levi throw him daggers and bit my lip, the two had only just met and already Levi disliked him. I stepped in when I thought I heard Levi growl at Bert, who was standing in the door way wearing a navy blue t-shirt and jeans.

"What's up Bert?" I asked, putting on a sickly sweet voice. I could tell that Levi picked up on it by the way he side-eyed me. Bert didn't.

"Just wondering if you want to stay at mine tonight? I don't like you walking home on your own." I smiled at Bert, even if he was a bit of a dick, he was sweet at heart. Levi clearly didn't agree though- as I heard him mumble something along the lines of _'you haven't been bothered by it for the past two months.'_ I ignored him, my attention going back to Bert.

"Yeah, sure. A sleepover sounds like fun. Just let me wrap up here, I'll go to your room when I'm ready to leave." He smiled adorably and moved towards me, planting a quick peck on my cheek before leaving. Levi visibly relaxed once the door closed.

"I don't like him." Levi said.

"I gathered." I bit back. Levi looked at me hard, and then rolled his eyes.

"You may think he's a sweetheart, but please be careful. He's the reason you had a breakdown on my couch a few days ago." My cheeks went on fire at that, burning a bright scarlet red. I looked at the floor, twiddling my thumbs in my lap. Levi sighed and stood up from his chair. I heard him slap his thighs as he did. I sensed him walk towards me and felt him thread his hands through my hair. He let his hand rest on my head for a second, and I moved my head up a bit, so my eyes were in line with his midriff.

"I am being careful. I swear, I am. Thank you for being concerned." I let my head tip forward so my forehead was resting on him. I felt, not heard, his chuckle, so I smiled and stood up slowly. Levi stepped back and I smiled down at him again. "I'm just gonna change. I'll be quick." He nodded and moved back again. I stepped towards my dresser and started to pull off my shorts.

"No peeking," I quipped when I saw Levi starring at my ass in the mirror. 

"I wasn't staring." I wiggled my ass at him in response, and in response I got a typical Levi smirk and eye roll. "You're boyfriend wouldn't be too pleased, brat." I laughed at him and pulled of my shorts completely so that I was standing completely naked in front of Levi. I felt a bit flustered, I'll admit, especially when I saw Levi's eyes flick to my backside every few seconds as I pulled on a new pair of shorts. I got dressed quickly after that, any previous tension already dissipated. I was wearing some skinny jeans and one of Bert's t-shirtsfrom high school, as well as some tattered trainers.

"Well, Lee, I'll see you tomorrow okay?" He raised an eyebrow at me, and shook his head while smiling. I grinned as he walked towards me, reaching up to thread a hand into my hair. He ruffled it quickly and pulled his hand away. He headed towards the door and pulled it open, and before pulling it closed, he looked over his shoulder at me. 

"Don't call me 'Lee', you brat." He winked and pulled the door closed with a bang. I heard him whistle slightly off key as he walked towards the exit, and I imagined him with his hands in the pockets of his navy blue chinos. A smile danced on my lips at the thought, and I waited a second before pushing myself off the door and heading down to Bert's room.

"Hey, darlin'," Bert greeted me in a horrendous Texan accent. I giggled at him and walked into his room fully. He was clearly ready to go, his room organised for tomorrow. Neat freak. I walked over to him and placed my arm over his shoulders. 

"Hey cowboy," I grinned as I leaned down to kiss his cheek before standing back up. "Ready to go? I am." Bert nodded at me and stood from his chair slowly. Before he could even announce that we were leaving, I was bounding out the door towards his car. 

"Catch me if you can!" 

~*~ 

"You can just sit down. I'll throw a frozen pizza in the oven. Coke or beer?" Bert asked as he flicked on the lights. His apartment looked a little messy, but I didn't care. It wasn't as nice as Levi's, I noticed. While Levi's apartment was cleaner than a hospital clinic, it still seemed lived in. Comfortable. 

"A coke, please. Save the beer until the cheesy nighttime television." Bert laughed a little and disappeared into the kitchen area. I did as I was told and sat down on the couch. I made myself comfortable even though the sofa was a little hard. I heard some back from the kitchen, the freezer door closing, the oven opening. I struggled to keep my eyes open as Bert walked back into the living room, and before I knew it, I was asleep. 

~*~ 

I was shaken awake by Bert, and the first thing that hit my senses was the smell of pizza. 

"Morning sunshine." My half asleep self muttered. "It's nice to see you." I heard Bert chuckle at me, and I smiled, my eyes still closed. I felt Bert pull me into a sitting position, and eventually I managed to open my eyes. Bert must have turned the lights down, because the apartment was almost black. He had put the pizza on a plate in front of me, and in that moment, I was more attracted to the pizza than I was Bert. I took a slice as Bert pour out two glasses of wine. I almost snorted and choked on my pizza but managed to restrain myself. 

"Store bought pizza, and cheap wine. You're a romantic." I continued laughing as Bert rolled his eyes and sat back. 

We fell into a comfortable silence, sipping wine at varying intervals. The TV was turned on, but muted. Some old black and white movie was on, and some pretty white woman was being murdered. Original, I know. After a few moments, the silence was broken by Bert. We finished out meal in about double the time it should have taken between spontaneous making out and unnecessary wine refills. By the end of the pizza, I was nearing tipsy and most definitely on my way towards plastered. 

And Bert seemed to feel the same. 

It was already late, like nearing 12am, and Bert was cracking open a second bottle of wine. I smirked as he poured the second glass and went to turn on some music. I generously added to my glass as I heard the music start. My neck twisted so fast that I nearly got whiplash when I heard Madonna start playing. 

"Are you playing my songs? Oh my god, I hate you. Oh my god." Bert laughed at me and swaggered back over to the sofa. 

"I asked Marco to give me a list of your usual songs, and made a tape. Sorry." He said, even though he sounded remarkably unapologetic. He gave me a look, and I could tell what he wanted. 

"Nope. No. Never, I'm not stripping in your living room. I'm not that drunk. Not happening, soldier." He pouted but then grinned as he picked up the wine bottle. 

"Well we'll have to change that, won't be?" 

And from there, who even fucking knows. 

_To be continued~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I'm so freaking sorry that I disappeared for ages. I'm officially back at school, and extremely busy. That's not an excuse, I know, but I thought I'd let you know anyway. I also had mine and my girlfriends anniversary and I slept at her house, which took up an entire weekend. the things I do for her~
> 
> oh and if plastered is only an irish thing which i doubt it is but anyway it means drunk af
> 
> like holy shit drunk
> 
> I'm also sorry that this is super short but I'm trying to ease myself back in after my hiatus. i think it will be easier for me to do some shorter chapters for a while, while I'm trying to force myself to write during my non existent free time
> 
> yikes
> 
> see you soon!!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! If you notice any typos, please comment so I can fix them. Thank you so much for reading, please leave a comment, I love talking to you guys. See you next time!


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